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Ambergris

Dateline: 01/24/00

By Alan Bruzel

What Is Ambergris?

It is an offensive smelling, black, viscous liquid generated in the bowels of the sperm whale Physeter catodon (also called Physeter macrocephalus). When discharged by whales, ambergris may be found afloat in the ocean or cast up on beaches.

Why Then Is Ambergris Esteemed for its Smell?

Upon exposure to air and sunlight, ambergris hardens and yields fragrant oxidation products elaborating a sweet, pervasive, earthy odor. When added to perfumes, it extends the fragrances of the perfume's other components.

Why Do Whales Generate Ambergris?

It may be a reaction of the whale's gut to the irritation caused by passage of the sharp, chitinous beaks of cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), the sperm whale's primary food.

The Major Constituent of Ambergris

It is largely composed of (+)-ambrein.

Ambrein

Are There Synthetic Substitutes for Ambergris?

The commercially available synthetic compound, (–)-Ambrox (a trade name), possesses the same pleasant olfactory attributes of ambergris. Ambrox is also one of the oxidation products generated from the ambrein in ambergris.

Ambrox

What the Web Has to Say about:
Ambergris

Ambergris: A Pathfinder and Annotated Bibliography
Descriptive history and reference works dealing with ambergris. From Randy D. Ralph, University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Fishin' for Facts: Sperm Whales
Concise facts about these sea mammals. From Whale Times.

Identification of Ambergris from the New Bedford Whaling Museum
Fourier transform nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy identifies ambrein in an 85-year-old museum sample. AOAC International abstract by George A. Moniz and Gerald B. Hammond.

Physeter catodon
Anatomy, habitat, food, and behavior of the giant sperm whale. From Liz Ballenger, University of Michigan, Museum of Zoology.

Synthesis of Perfumes
Synthetic routes to odiferous principals of ambergris. From Tohoku University.

What's in Your Perfume?
Ambergris and other animal-derived perfume additives. From About.com's Animal Rights Guide.

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