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Octenol (Get ready to go camping with MotD!)

By moleculeoftheday on September 8, 2008.

The other day, I was trying to hunt down a tool for the lab. The closest store with any decent complement of tools is one of those big-box stores, so off I went. Unfortunately, I tend to get distracted in the presence of more than a few choices. Somehow, I found myself in the camping aisle, picking up stuff off the rack to read what chemical was in it, and setting it back. A few minutes into doing this, I always wonder: do I look like a shoplifter, someone shopping for ingredients to whip up a fresh batch of drugs, or just a careful shopper? Then, I pulled out the camera phone to take some pictures, and I realized I probably just looked like your average weirdo putting together an internet article, which was the truth.

Thus we begin a series on camping products. First, octenol:

i-67abc62ca7e9c5e30d9e73b4afc160a5-octenol.png

Octenol is a metabolite of lipids, and you're soaking in it. It's all over your skin and in your breath. Mosquitos are particularly sensitive (and attracted) to its odor, and it's been used in mosquito traps because of this.


Tomorrow, a brief side jaunt, then back to camping goods.

Tags
Perfumey

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Octenol Mosquito Attractant (1-octen-3-ol) is a naturally occurring by-product that comes from plants and some animals. The Octenol Mosquito Attractant can be used with Koolatron Mosquito Traps and electronic fly killers.

Thank you for the precious information. But How and where can commonly buy or achieve Octenol besides the mosquitoes tramps seller or dealer? I don't live in a country where mosquito magnet is not dealer. Thank you Angelo