any chemical derived from crude oil, crude products, or natural gas A petrochemical is basically a compound of carbon and hydrogen, but may incorporate many other elements Petrochemical are used in the manufacture of numerous products such as synthetic rubber, synthetic fibers (such as nylon and polyester), plastics, fertilizers, paints, detergents, and pesticides pH - measure of acidity or alkalinity of an aqueous solution The pH scale ranges from 0 (very acidic) to 14 (very alkaline), with a pH of 17 indicating a neutral solution equivalent to the pH of distilled water See neutralization number
Petrochemicals are chemicals that are obtained from petroleum or natural gas. any chemical substance obtained from petroleum or natural gas. Strictly, any of a large class of chemicals (as distinct from fuels) derived from petroleum and natural gas. The category has been broadened to include a much larger range of organic compounds and a few inorganic compounds (including carbon black, sulfur, and ammonia). Some materials cannot be classifed unequivocally because they have alternative sources (benzene from coal, ethanol from fermentation). Like crude oil and natural gas, most petrochemicals consist mainly of carbon and hydrogen and are called hydrocarbons. Petrochemicals used as raw materials (feedstocks) include ethylene, propylene, butadiene, benzene, toluene, xylene, and naphthalene. Among the myriad petrochemical products are plastics (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene), soaps and detergents, solvents, drugs, fertilizers, pesticides, explosives, synthetic fibres and rubberss, paints, epoxies, flooring and insulating materials, luggage, and recording disks and tapes