The hidden hand

The safety chemical hiding inside durian

Ethyl mercaptan, mandated by US regulators to make propane detectable, is the same compound that creates durian's legendary stench across Southeast Asia.

The number

1part per billion detection threshold

Federal law requires ethyl mercaptan in propane to alert consumers to dangerous leaks at microscopic concentrations. The identical molecule is the primary volatile odorant in durian, the Southeast Asian fruit so powerfully aromatic it's banned from hotels, airports, and public transit in Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia.

Source: Ethyl Mercaptan (EM) LPG Odorant — Arkema USA · Arkema · Jan 1, 2024

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The safety chemical hiding inside durian

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