Petrochemistry
Petrochemical is the extraction of any chemical substance or fossil fuels. These include purified fossil fuels such as methane, butane, propane, gasoline, kerosene, diesel, aviation fuel, as well as pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and other items such as plastics, asphalt or synthetic fibers. Petrochemicals is the industry dedicated to obtaining chemical derivatives of petroleum and associated gases. Petrochemicals include all the chemicals that are derived therefrom. The modern petrochemical industry dates back to the end of the 19th century. Most petrochemicals are made from a relatively small number of hydrocarbons, including methane, ethane, propane, butane, and the aromatics derived from benzene, among others. Petrochemicals, therefore, provide the knowledge and mechanisms for the extraction of chemical substances from fossil fuels. Gasoline, diesel, kerosene, propane, methane and butane are some of the fossil fuels that allow the development of petrochemical products.