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Uses for Aromatics

The word "aromatic" is derived from the same Latin root for "fragrance" as the word "aroma." Early aromatics were derived from plant sources. As scientific testing methods developed, it was discovered that aromatics were organic substances made of the elements carbon and hydrogen called hydrocarbons. In addition to plant sources, hydrocarbons can be found in fossil fuels such as crude oil and coal. The most common aromatic hydrocarbons are benzene, toluene and xylene. These aromatics are sometimes created as by products of the fuel oil refining process. The uses of aromatics has developed far beyond their origin as fragrances and now include products as diverse as dyes, resins, fabrics and film.

Early Uses of Aromatics.
- The early uses of aromatics were as fragrances for both ascetic and medicinal purposes. Natural plant sources were the most common, including lavender, tea tree, rose, jasmine, pine, lime, clove, tangerine and grapefruit. Herbs and resins such as frankincense, myrrh and sage were -- and still are -- burned to purify religious areas. Sage, rosemary, lavender, cedar and wood ruff are used to retard mold and fungus growth, repel moths and keep dry goods such as linens and woolens fresh in storage. Scents including mint and eucalyptus are used medicinally to help ease breathing and release muscle tension among other uses. Aroma therapy has developed as a line of study matching specific conditions with the appropriate scent to alleviate a problem.
Products From Xylenes
- Products from petrochemical sources include a broad variety of items. Flexible PVC products made from xylenes, aromatics derived form crude oil, include medical products such as blood bags and tubing, foot ware, electrical tubing, toys and packaging. Polyesters also are refined from xylenes; their threadlike structure lends them to uses such as fabric, ropes, filters and conveyer belts.
Products From Benzene
- Benzene is used to produce pharmaceuticals as well as asphalt, office equipment, cosmetics, television casings, personal computers, refrigerators, food packaging, sports equipment, automotive and aircraft components, insulating materials, paints, cosmetics and home-care products
Products from Toluene
- Toluene is used in the manufacture of polyurethanes; as such, it is included as an element of many consumer goods. It is used in products such as gasoline, where it serves as an octane booster and coal tar. It also is found in solvents, paint and glue.
Environmental Impact
- While aromatics from plant sources have little or no environmental impact, the same cannot be said for aromatics derived from petrochemicals. While the industry takes precautions to prevent chemical release into the environment, it does occur because of fiscal and social reasons. A further concern is that all products derived from petrochemicals eventually find their way back into the environment, if not as by products of the manufacturing process, then as post-consumer waste. Efforts are being taken to reuse post-consumer waste to create new products to help control the release of petrochemically derived aromatics into the environment.

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