What are the olfactory chemicals in whiteboard/permanent markers and what do they bind to in the nose, lungs, and brain?

Answer 1

Smells from these markers are usually emitted by alcohols (Butanol, isopropanol) in the ink and are perceived when bound to G-protein linked receptor neurons attached to epithelial cells. The exact mechanism for how this attachment occurs is being researched, but no conclusions have been found.