Morphological, Chemical and Elemental Investigation of the Conventional and Herbal Incense Stick Premixes and their Ashes
J. Environ. Nanotechnol., Volume 15, No 2 (June 2026) pp. 588-604
Abstract
Every year, large quantities of incense and incense sticks are used on various occasions, especially in religious places, releasing numerous harmful chemicals during combustion and leaving ash behind. The smoke from these sticks contains organic compounds such as benzene and aldehydes, which are responsible for various respiratory and skin-related disorders. This study characterizes the chemical, elemental, and morphological properties of incense stick premixes from two basic types of incense sticks used in India, as well as a flower-based incense stick premix. Their compositions were then compared with the ashes produced after combustion. All six samples were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to assess their chemical and elemental properties in detail. Prominent peaks in the region of 500-1000 cm-1 were observed in the FTIR spectrum, attributed to Si-O-Si bonds. Peaks at 1400 and 1600 cm-1 were attributed to the carbonyl group and the hydroxyl group, respectively, and the peaks in the region of 3100-3700 cm-1 were attributed to the hydroxyl group. The XRD exhibited major peaks at two theta values, i.e., 25-32º and smaller peaks near 39-42º in most samples. All the incense stick premixes have a broad hump, starting near 20º and ending at 24º, and centred near 22-23º, indicating the amorphous phase. Quartz, silicates, calcite, and magnetite were prominent mineral phases in the incense stick premix and their ashes. The particles of incense stick premixes and their ashes were irregular in shape and agglomerated, and their sizes varied from 1 to more than 100 microns. There were no significant morphological changes in the incense stick premixes and the ashes, as shown by SEM. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy revealed the elemental composition of these stick premixes and their ashes, with all premixes containing C, O, N, Fe, Si, Al, Mg, and Ca, and some also containing Ti and Zn. Nitrogen increased significantly in the ash, while Zn was found only in the sawdust of the incense stick premix. Such studies will help to reveal the fundamental changes before and after burning incense sticks.
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Reference
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