2-Decanone is a naturally occurring aliphatic ketone found in some plant volatiles and essential-oil profiles, including rue. In aroma materials it is typically described as orange-floral, fatty, peach-like, and mildly fermented. Archive evidence is strongest for identity, odor use, and occurrence data; bioactivity signals are mainly preclinical and lean toward ecological or pest-control contexts rather than human wellness use.
Aroma and practical use
- Use the recorded orange-like floral, fatty, peach, fermented, cheesy descriptors to explore a blend's scent character; perceived strength also depends on the other ingredients.
- Read the route, preparation and experimental context before using a study finding to choose an oil.
Reported benefits and effects
Findings retain their study context. An animal or laboratory result describes that experiment.
A Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry study reported that 2-decanone showed among the best fumigant insecticidal activities against the maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais among the tested volatiles.
A Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry study reported that 2-decanone showed among the best fumigant insecticidal activities against the maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais among the tested volatiles.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
A Journal of Helminthology study on Ruta chalepensis secondary metabolites reported in-vitro anthelmintic activity for 2-decanone at 48 hours against sheep gastrointestinal nematode larvae.
A Journal of Helminthology study on Ruta chalepensis secondary metabolites reported in-vitro anthelmintic activity for 2-decanone at 48 hours against sheep gastrointestinal nematode larvae.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
A 2020 RIFM safety assessment reported that 2-decanone had been evaluated for genotoxicity, repeated-dose toxicity, reproductive toxicity, respiratory toxicity, phototoxicity/photoallergenicity, skin sensitization, and environmental safety under fragrance-use review.
A 2020 RIFM safety assessment reported that 2-decanone had been evaluated for genotoxicity, repeated-dose toxicity, reproductive toxicity, respiratory toxicity, phototoxicity/photoallergenicity, skin sensitization, and environmental safety under fragrance-use review.
The source assessment applies to its specified exposure and preparation; this entry is not an unrestricted-use clearance.
Use concerns and concentration limits
Sensitization concernNot flagged
Not flagged in the current model. This is not proof of absence or unrestricted safety.
Phototoxicity concernNot flagged
Not flagged in the current model. This is not proof of absence or unrestricted safety.
Oxidation concernNot flagged
Not flagged in the current model. This is not proof of absence or unrestricted safety.
Penetration enhancementNot flagged
Not flagged in the current model. This is not proof of absence or unrestricted safety.
Screening assumption (family fallback). It is not a verified constituent-specific exposure limit.
model fallback · IFRA QRA2 sensitization framework — individual aliphatic ketone (e.g., methyl heptenone) per-constituent regulationNo constituent-specific dermal limit for leave-on aromatherapy use was verified in this pass.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
No direct public citation is attached to this entry.
Good Scents lists an IFRA-linked recommendation of up to 2.0000% in fragrance concentrate for 2-decanone, which is a fragrance-use reference point rather than a direct topical wellness recommendation.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
No direct public citation is attached to this entry.
The archive should treat human-use safety evidence as indirect here because the accessible sources were fragrance safety summaries and supplier references, not a full aromatherapy monograph.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
No direct public citation is attached to this entry.
Constituents it may interact with
No constituent-pair interaction is recorded for this identity. The report does not assume either amplification or incompatibility.
How the effects were investigated
Volatile fumigant action against stored-pest insects
A stored-pest volatility study reported strong fumigant activity for 2-decanone against maize weevil, consistent with an airborne toxicant mechanism rather than a topical therapeutic one.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
No direct public citation is attached to this entry.
What this report cannot establish
- A reported constituent percentage does not establish an effective human therapeutic dose or the amount absorbed into the body.
- The presence of a constituent does not guarantee a clinical benefit, rash treatment or sleep improvement from a custom blend.
- An unflagged concern or missing use limit does not establish safety for ingestion, inhalation, skin exposure or a particular person.
- A candidate constituent interaction does not establish that two oils amplify one another at the selected proportions.
- Constituent descriptors alone do not establish a precise top, heart or base lifetime in a finished blend.
Known data gaps (6)
- Second pass (2026-07-13): located the full-text RIFM (2020) fragrance safety assessment PDF for CAS 693-54-9, which resolved the dermal ceiling gap (IFRA Category 5 leave-on limit 0.098%, DST-based).
- Human clinical evidence tied specifically to isolated 2-decanone was not found in this pass.
- Most accessible bioactivity evidence concerns pest-control or parasite models rather than fragrance-performance or consumer topical outcomes.
- 2026-07-13 audit: reverted dermal_limit_pct (was 0.098, unconfirmable) to null/unverified.
- No constituent-specific numeric dermal reference is available here.
- Some findings do not record an explicit exposure route; consult the linked study before applying them to a use.