Acrolein (systematic name: propenal) is the simplest unsaturated aldehyde. It is a colorless liquid with a foul and acrid aroma. The smell of burnt fat (as when cooking oil is heated to its smoke point) is caused by glycerol in the burning fat breaking down into acrolein. It is produced industrially from propene and mainly used as a biocide and a building block to other chemical compounds, such as the amino acid methionine.
Acrolein was used in warfare due to its irritant and blistering properties. The French used the chemical in their hand grenades and artillery shells.
Acrolein is mainly used as a contact herbicide to control submersed and floating weeds, as well as algae, in irrigation canals. It is used at a level of 10 ppm in irrigation and recirculating waters. In the oil and gas industry, it is used as a biocide in drilling waters, as well as a scavenger for hydrogen sulfide and mercaptans.
Acrolein is toxic and is a strong irritant for the skin, eyes, and nasal passages. Acrolein acts in an immunosuppressive manner and increases the risk of cancer. Acrolein was identified as one of the chemicals involved in the 2019 Kim Kim River toxic pollution incident.
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