Pg.no. 108
Ink
Upholstery
CDs
Vitamin Capsule
Denture Adhesive
Putty
Guitar Strings
Heart Valves
Anesthetics
Cortisone
Toilet Seats
Crayons
Pillows
Artificial Turf
Deodorant
Lipstick
Hair Coloring
Aspirin
Petroleum in Agriculture:
One of the most important uses of petroleum is in the production of ammonia to be used as
the nitrogen source in agricultural fertilizers. In the early 20th century, Fritz Haber invented
a process that allowed for industrial scale production of ammonia. Prior to that, ammonia for
fertilizer came only from manure and other biological processes.
The Haber process works in two steps. First, methane from natural gas is cleaned to remove
sulfur and hydrogen sulfide. It is then reacted with steam over a catalyst to produce hydrogen
and carbon dioxide. In the next step, which is the actual Haber process, hydrogen and
gaseous nitrogen are reacted at high heat and pressure to produce ammonia, which is
siphoned off and added to chemical fertilizers.
Agriculture also depends on the use of pesticides to ensure consistent, healthy crop yields.
Pesticides are almost all produced from oil. In essence, from running farm machinery to
fertilizing plants, agriculture is one of the largest users of petroleum based products.
Petroleum in Plastics:
Plastic is a staple of modern life. From computer monitors to nylon to Styrofoam, plastics are
integral aspects of many manufactured products. Polystyrene, from which Styrofoam is
made, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were both products of post-World War II