The Sweet Smell Of Small Change
By Helen Potter
Gather up a large collection of small change and take a whiff. Go on. Chances are you'll get a noseful of that distinctive metallic smell which can apparently also be found on sweat-covered dumbbells or in water from an old metal pipe.
Up until now no-one has been able to identify the cause of these metallic odours, but a team from Virginia Tech appear to have found the answer. They have successfully demonstrated that the odours people associate with iron metal actually contain no iron atoms at all. Instead the smells are actually body odours produced when metals interact with the skin.
In addition to the smell of lumps of metal, these results can also explain the metallic scent of blood.
"We speculate that the 'blood scent' may result from skin reacting with ferrous iron because the same 'metallic' odour is produced if you rub blood on skin," said Andrea Dietrich, one of the principal researchers.
The chemical 1-octen-3-one is produced in the reaction, described as having a "mushroom-metallic smell" (answers on a postcard as to what that means) and humans can smell it in minute concentrations. "This may have provided an evolutionary advantage that allowed early humans to track wounded comrades or prey." added Dietrich.
This means the smell of your pocket change is actually due to the sweat of all its previous handlers. Nice.
To find out more about Helen or read more of her articles click here.
Up until now no-one has been able to identify the cause of these metallic odours, but a team from Virginia Tech appear to have found the answer. They have successfully demonstrated that the odours people associate with iron metal actually contain no iron atoms at all. Instead the smells are actually body odours produced when metals interact with the skin.
In addition to the smell of lumps of metal, these results can also explain the metallic scent of blood.
"We speculate that the 'blood scent' may result from skin reacting with ferrous iron because the same 'metallic' odour is produced if you rub blood on skin," said Andrea Dietrich, one of the principal researchers.
The chemical 1-octen-3-one is produced in the reaction, described as having a "mushroom-metallic smell" (answers on a postcard as to what that means) and humans can smell it in minute concentrations. "This may have provided an evolutionary advantage that allowed early humans to track wounded comrades or prey." added Dietrich.
This means the smell of your pocket change is actually due to the sweat of all its previous handlers. Nice.
To find out more about Helen or read more of her articles click here.
Image: Sergio Brenner
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