RE: [CH] plants coming indoors...
John Sphar (chilehead@pacbell.net)
Tue, 17 Oct 2006 22:52:55 -0700
Narsai David once told me that mercaptans are responsible for the following
unpleasantry:
--------
There is the tall tale that "asparagus urine" is linked to higher
intelligence. In fact, it's the result of a simple chemical reaction.
Asparagus contains a sulphur compound called mercaptan. (It's also found in
rotten eggs, onions, garlic, in the secretions of skunks, and is what they
add to natural gas so you can detect leaks.) When your digestive tract
breaks down this substance, by-products are released that cause the funny
scent. The process is so quick that your urine can develop the distinctive
smell within 15 to 30 minutes of eating asparagus.
But not everyone has this experience. Your genetic makeup may determine
whether your urine has the odor - or whether you can actually smell it. Only
some people appear to have the gene for the enzyme that breaks down
mercaptan into its more pungent parts. A study published in the May 1989
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found that 46% of 115 people tested
produced the odor in one group of British citizens, while 100% of 103 people
produced it in a group of French citizens. The ability to smell the
by-products may also be genetic. Another study published in the same journal
found that 10% of a group of 300 Israeli Jews could not detect the odor. In
other words, a person's urine could smell, but he or she might not know it.
But since you're here, you're likely in the group that can do both. But
that's nothing to worry about.
--------
Taken from:
http://www.lhaven.net/index.php?url=http://www.lhaven.net/asparagus.htm
Of course, I unfortunately have the genetic makeup, but without the "higher
intelligence". ;)
John S.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-chile-heads@globalgarden.com [mailto:owner-chile-
> heads@globalgarden.com] On Behalf Of Dave Drum
> Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 7:27 PM
> To: jim@wildpepper.com
> Cc: 'chile Heads'
> Subject: Re: [CH] plants coming indoors...
>
> jim@wildpepper.com wrote:
>
> > Re: *Mercaptans contain sulfur. That's what makes them smell. The
> > kind used blends well with natural gas and, in a gaseous state, has
> > much the same properties as natural gas, so it will also rise and
> > dissipate with natural gas.
>
> > Remember *you* said this: Just my morning to be a pedantic
> > nit-picker. :-P
>
> > Back at you :-)
>
> > Methyl mercaptan has a vapor density of well over 6.0. It won't rise
> > with the gas but instead percipitate out. It is also highly toxic.
> > It's use with natural gas comes from the fact that the human nose can
> > detect mercaptans down to the ppb- as in billion, not ppm (million).
> > There is little else, if anything, that humans can detect in lower
> > quantities... unless it's chile peppers to the weak ;-)
>
> I don't know what specific mercaptan is used. None of the sites I
> checked went beyond "mercaptan". What I posted was a synopsis of
> information from several sites.
>
> > I believe skunk oil is in the same family as well. Can't says as I
> > would ever mistake the heavenly aroma of garlic for mercaptan :-)
>
> That one I do know - butyl mercaptan.
>
> > Should have seen the mess we had around here when the gas company, as
> > part of an education program, but a 'scratch & sniff' dot of
> mercatpan
> > on the gas bills one month. It was supposed to show the public what
> a
> > gas leak smells like. Yeeessshhhh!!! We ran 'gas leaks' and 'gas
> odor'
> > calls non-stop for DAYS!
>
> I can believe it. I assume that Sparky the Fire Dog bit a big chunk out
> of their promotional department's collective arse and that they
> won't repeat that soon. Bv)=
>
> --
> ENJOY!!!
> --------
> UNCLE DIRTY DAVE'S KITCHEN --
> Home of Yaaaaa Hooooo Aaahhh!!! HOT SAUCE and Hardin Cider
>
> "Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is
> beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the
> wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza." --Dave Barry