Sawdust

NaturalWOODS & MOSSESwoody · warm · rich

BasePyramid

—Strength

—Tenacity

—Origins

Specimen

Definition

Sawdust is a by-product or waste product of woodworking operations such as sawing, sanding, milling and routing. In a sensory evaluation of pine wood, a carpenter's shop-like/sawdust-like note was rated with medium intensity.

WOODY WARM DRY PEPPERY HERBAL

Wood dust

Type: Ingredient
Olfactive family: Woods
Subfamily: Dry woods
Cluster: Cedar-like dry woods
Source: Wood, processed wood or wood veneer

Instruments

Pyramid

TTop

HHeart

BBase

Scent

In the sensory profile of Scots pine wood, a frankincense-like note was rated with medium intensity, alongside the sawdust-like note. Wood glue-like, herb-like, peppery and citrusy notes were recorded with intensities between 1.5 and 2.0. A fatty, cardboard-like note was also perceived, and a pencil-like note was rated only 1.0.

In PREMIEREPEAU

DISCOVERY SET7 × 2 ml →EXTRAIT DE PARFUMThe seven extraits →

The Full Story

What sawdust is

Sawdust, also called wood dust, is a by-product or waste product of woodworking operations such as sawing, sanding, milling and routing. It consists of very small chips of wood. As particulates, it is the main component of particleboard. In some manufacturing industries it can be a significant fire hazard and a source of occupational dust exposure.

Composition

The composition of sawdust depends on the material it comes from, such as natural wood, processed wood or wood veneer. Lignin is a macromolecule made of phenolic units and is located in the cell walls of wood. Lignin makes up 20 to 35% of the dry mass of wood. Lignin fills the spaces in the cell wall between cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin components. Odour-active phenyl compounds occur in wood through the degradation of lignin. Some odour impressions of pine wood, including the carpenter's shop-like/sawdust-like one, could not be directly traced to specific substances.

Health

Wood dust is a known human carcinogen. It can cause cancers of the nose, throat and sinuses. In the workplace, the OSHA permissible exposure limit for wood dust is 15 mg/m³ total exposure and 5 mg/m³ respiratory exposure over an 8-hour workday, and NIOSH recommends a limit of 1 mg/m³ over the same period. In 2000-2003, about 3.6 million workers in the EU-25 were occupationally exposed to inhalable wood dust.

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Related: Alder · Alpha Humulene · Amaranth · Amberever · Amburana Bark · Antillone · Apple Tree

Did You Know?

Lignin is one of the most abundant organic polymers on Earth, exceeded only by cellulose and chitin. It constitutes 30% of terrestrial non-fossil organic carbon on Earth. Ogatan, a Japanese charcoal briquette, is made from sawdust.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method

Sawdust forms at the working surface during woodworking operations such as sawing, milling and sanding. These operations shatter lignified wood cells and break out whole cells and groups of cells. Shattering of cells creates dust, while breaking out groups of cells creates chips. The more cell-shattering occurs, the finer the dust particles produced.

Synonyms: Wood dust

IFRA status

See note

No IFRA Standard for the material itself (51st Amendment)

In Perfumery

Essential oil of Atlas cedar is distilled from sawdust, a by-product of the lumber industry, and is recommended in men's fragrances and for woody or fougere accords.

Role in the formula

01modifier

02backbone

Available as

standard form