Description
Known as petrol to the British and benzin to the Germans, is a mixture of C4 to Cl2 hydrocarbons. Natural gasoline obtained by fractional distillation of petroleum contains mostly saturated hydrocarbons. The ordinary commercial grades of motor gasoline contain paraffins, olefins, naphthenes, and aromatics, all in substantial concentrations. Motor gasolines are made chiefly by cracking processes in which heavier petroleum factions are converted into more volatile fractions by thermal or catalytic decomposition. Where petroleum is scarce, as in Germany, gasoline also has been made commercially by catalytic high-pressure hydrocarbons from carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Some gasolines sold in the USA contain a minor proportion of tetraethyllead, which is added in concentrations not exceeding 3 mil per gallon of motor gasoline to prevent "knock" in engines in which the gasoline is used as fuel. Commercial grades of tetraethyllead or Ethyl fluid typically contain about 63% tetraethyllead and about 35% ethylene dichloride or dibromide which aids in evacuating the products of the lead from engines. In addition, the fluid contains a red or a blue dye. All leaded gasolines are dyed for recognition and should be used only as motor fuel. Other materials occasionally blended in gasoline, particularly in Europe, to decrease knock are benzene and ethanol.
Gasoline is a highly flammable, mobile liquid with characteristic odor. Evaporates quickly and is insoluble in water, freely soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform, and benzene; and dissolves fats, oils, and natural resins. Used as fuel in internal combustion engines ofthe spark-ignitedreciprocating type.
Description
Gasoline is a product of petroleum refining that varies in
composition and often includes additives such as antiknock
agents, antioxidants, lubricants, and detergents. Tetraethyl lead
was one of these additives, and use of leaded gasoline as fuel
was responsible for much of the human body burden of this
metal for a number of years. However, the phase out of lead
from gasoline during the past three decades (in the United
States and Europe) has led to an over 90% reduction in human
blood lead levels. More recently, other additives such as
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl and methyl
t-butyl ether have been foci of concern because of possible
adverse environmental impacts of these compounds.
Chemical Properties
Gasoline is a highly flammable, mobile liquid
with a characteristic odor. A complex mixture of volatile
hydrocarbons (paraffins, cycloparaffins, and aromatics).
Physical property values may vary depending on grade. The
Odor Threshold is 0.25 ppm.
Uses
Fuel for spark-ignited internal combustion
engines
Uses
Highly flammable, dangerous fire, and
explosion risk. Eye and upper respiratory tract irritant,
and central nervous system impairment. Possible
carcinogen.
Uses
The distillation ranges of gasoline are specified for the
particular application, mainly the reciprocating, spark ignition,
and internal combustion engines. To serve specific
purposes, various functional additives are blended into gasolines.
These consist of antiknock fluids, antioxidants, metal
deactivators, corrosion inhibitors, anti-icing agents, preignition
preventors, upper cylinder lubricants, dyes, and decolorizers
(161). Probably the most critical property is the
octane number, supplied with high octane hydrocarbons
and lead compounds. The major components are primarily
paraffins, olefins, naphthenes, and aromatics, and more
recently 10–40% ethyl alcohol. The distillation from
initial to final boiling point ranges from about 32 to 225℃(90
to 437°F), and the explosive limits are 1.31–6.0%.
Definition
A mixture of volatile hydrocarbons suitable for
use in a spark-ignited internal-combustion engine
and having an octane number of at least 60. The
major components are branched-chain paraffins,
cycloparaffins, and aromatics. There are several
methods of pr
Reactivity Profile
GASOLINE may be incompatible with strong oxidizing agents such as nitric acid, peroxides, and perchlorates. Charring may occur followed by ignition of unreacted hydrocarbon and other nearby combustibles. In other settings, mostly unreactive. Not affected by aqueous solutions of acids, alkalis, most oxidizing agents, and most reducing agents. When heated sufficiently or when ignited in the presence of air, oxygen or strong oxidizing agents, burns exothermically to produce carbon dioxide and water.
Health Hazard
INHALATION causes irritation of upper respiratory tract; central nervous system stimulation followed by depression of varying degrees ranging from dizziness, headache, and incoordination to anesthesia, coma, and respiratory arrest; irregular heartbeat is dangerous complication. ASPIRATION causes severe lung irritation with coughing, gagging, dyspnea, substernal distress, and rapidly developing pulmonary edema; later, signs of bronchopneumonia and pneumonitis; acute onset of central nervous system followed by depression. INGESTION causes irritation of mucous membranes of throat, esophagus, and stomach; stimulation followed by depression of central nervous system; irregular heartbeat.
Flammability and Explosibility
Extremely flammable
Agricultural Uses
Gasoline, also known as petrol, is a mixture of volatile hydrocarbons having 4 to 12 carbon atoms per molecule. It has an octane number of at least 60. It is used as fuel for internal combustion engines and as a solvent. The major components of gasoline are branched-chain paraffins, cycloparaffins and aromatics.
There are several methods used for the production of gasoline. Among these, distillation or fractionation yields a straight run product of relatively low octane number, which is used primarily for blending, thermal and catalytic cracking, reforming, polymerization, isomerization and dehydrocyclodimerization. The various means of converting hydrocarbon gases into motor fuels by modification of chemical structure usually makes use of catalysts. The present source of gasoline is petroleum; gasoline may also be produced from shale oil and tar sands as well as by gasification of coal.
While gasoline can be synthesized from carbon monoxide and hydrogen, almost all gasoline is made by refining, cracking and alkylation. The fractions are blended to produce the required fuels. Motor gasoline boils between 30°C and 200°C. If the fuel is too volatile, the vapor bubbles are formed which hinder the flow of fuel (vapor lock).
Different kinds of gasoline are:
(a) Cracked gasoline: Gasolines are produced by catalytic decomposition of high-boiling components of petroleum. Such gasolines have higher octane ratings than that produced by fractional distillation. The difference is due to a higher content of unsaturated, aromatic and branched-chain hydrocarbons. The actual properties vary widely depending on the source, temperature, pressure and the catalyst used in cracking.
(b) High-octane gasoline: It is a gasoline with an octane value of 90to 100.
(c) Lead-free gasoline: It is a gasoline containing no more than 0.05 g of lead per 4.5 1 designed for use in engines equipped with a catalytic converter.
(d) Natural gasoline: It is the gasoline based on butane, pentane and hexane hydrocarbons. It is used in blending to produce finished gasoline with adjusted volatility but having a low octane number.
(e) Polymer gasoline: A gasoline produced by polymerization of low molecular weight hydrocarbons such as ethylene, propene and butene is called polymer gasoline. It is used in small amounts for blending with other gasolines to improve their octane number.
(f) Pyrolysis gasoline: Gasolinep roduced by thermal cracking as a by-product of ethylene manufacture is pyrolysis gasoline. It is used as a source of benzene.
(8) Reformed gasoline: It is a high octane gasoline obtained from low octane gasoline by heating the vapors to high temperatures or passing the vapors over a catalyst.
(h) Straight-run gasoline: Gasoline produced by distillation, without the use of cracking or other chemical conversion processes, is called straight-run gasoline.
(i) White gasoline: It is an unleaded gasoline especially designed for use in motor boats. It is uncracked and strongly inhibited against oxidation to avoid gum formation, and is usually not colored to distinguish it from other grades. It also serves as a fuel for camp lanterns and portable stoves.
Aviation fuel contains a less of low and high boiling components. The octane number or maximum power is carefully controlled by the structure of gasoline components. The gasoline may further be improved by an antiknocking additive. Other additives include lead scavengers (ethylene bromide), antioxidants, metal deactivators, anti-icing agents and detergents. The host of properties exhibited by gasolines results from the use of additives. These gasolines are used as a source of hydrogen in ammonia manufacture and as a source of energy for tractors and jeeps.
Industrial uses
Gasoline is a colorless liquid hydrocarbonobtained in the fractional distillation of petroleum.It is used chiefly as motor fuel, but alsoas a solvent. Ordinary gasoline consists of thehydrocarbons between C
6H
14 and C
10H
22, whichdistill off between the temperatures 69 and174°C, usually having the light limit at heptane,C
7H
16,or octane, C
8H
18.The octane number isthe standard of measure of detonation in theengine. Motor fuel, or the general name gasoline,before the wide use of high-octane gasolinesobtained by catalytic cracking meant anyhydrocarbon mixture that could be used as afuel in an internal-combustion engine by sparkignition without being sucked in as a liquid andwithout being so volatile as to cause imperfectcombustion and carbon deposition. Theseincluded also mixtures of gasoline with alcoholor benzol.
Safety Profile
Confirmed carcinogen.
Mildly toxic by inhalation. Human systemic
effects by inhalation: cough, conjunctiva
irritation, hallucinations or distorted per ceptions. Repeated or prolonged dermal ex posure causes dermatitis. Can cause blister ing of skin. Inhalation or ingestion can cause
central nervous system depression. Pulmon ary aspiration can cause severe pneumonitis.
Some addiction has been reported from
inhalation of fumes. Even brief inhalations
of high concentrations can cause a fatal
pulmonary edema. The vapors are consider ed to be moderately poisonous. If its con-centration in air is sufficiently high to reduce
the oxygen content below that needed to
maintain life, it acts as a simple asphyxiant.
A human eye irritant. Gasohe is a common
air contaminant. A very dangerous fire and
explosion hazard when exposed to heat or
flame; can react vigorously with oxidizing
materials. To fight fKe, use foam, CO2, dry chemical.
Potential Exposure
Gasoline is used as a fuel, diluent, and
solvent throughout industry.
Environmental Fate
Since gasoline is a mixture, no simple summary can address
the fates of all of the components. However, many of the
toxicologically significant components are volatile and so are
lost to the atmosphere after being released to surface soil or
surface water. These compounds are then subject to photochemical
oxidation.
In addition, these components can leach through the soil
and contaminate groundwater where they may remain for long
periods of time. Under aerobic conditions, biodegradation of
gasoline components can occur in soil and surface water.
Shipping
UN1203 Gasoline includes gasoline mixed with
ethyl alcohol, with not >10% alcohol, Hazard Class: 3;
Labels: 3-Flammable liquid.
Toxicity evaluation
Little information is available on most of the mechanisms of
toxicity of gasoline. It has been suggested, however, that renal
effects in rats are mediated by alpha-2-urinary globulin and
thus of little relevance to humans who do not produce this
protein.
Incompatibilities
May form explosive mixture with air.
Strong oxidizers may cause fire and explosions.
Incompatible with nitric acid. May accumulate static elec trical charges, and may cause ignition of its vapors.
Waste Disposal
Dissolve or mix the material
with a combustible solvent and burn in a chemical incinera tor equipped with an afterburner and scrubber. All federal,
state, and local environmental regulations must be
observed. Alternatively, gasoline vapors may be recovered
from fuel transfer operations by various techniques.