Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) is a term used to describe a large family of several hundred chemical compounds that originally come from crude oil. Crude oil is used to make petroleum products, which can contaminate the environment. Because there are so many different chemicals in crude oil and in other petroleum products, it is not practical to measure each one separately. However, it is useful to measure the total amount of TPH at a site.
TPH is a mixture of chemicals, but they are all made mainly from hydrogen and carbon, called hydrocarbons. Scientists divide TPH into groups of petroleum hydrocarbons that act alike in soil or water. These groups are called petroleum hydrocarbon fractions. Each fraction contains many individual chemicals.
Some chemicals that may be found in TPH are hexane, jet fuels, mineral oils,
benzene,
toluene, xylenes,
naphthalene, and fluorene, as well as other petroleum products and
gasoline components. However, it is likely that samples of TPH will contain only some, or a mixture, of these chemicals.
TPH is a mixture of many different compounds. Everyone is exposed to TPH from many sources, including gasoline pumps, spilled oil on pavement, and chemicals used at home or work. Some TPH compounds can affect your
nervous system, causing
headaches and
dizziness. TPH has been found in at least 23 of the 1,467 National Priorities List
sites identified by the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
See a doctor if you have been harmed by this substance. In addition, it
may be important to
contact an attorney who
can help you protect your legal rights. Please keep in mind that there
may be
timelimits within which you must commence suit.
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Source: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
See Also
- Toxic & Hazardous Substances
- Balance Problems: Overview
- Birth Defects
- Blood Disorders: Overview
- Cancer
- Eye Disorders
- Female Infertility
- Head, Spinal Cord, Brain & Nerve Disorders: Overview
- Headaches
- Immune Disorders
- Kidney & Urinary Tract Disorders
- Liver & Gallbladder Disorders
- Lung & Airway Disorders
- Peripheral Neuropathy: Overview
- Skin Disorders: Overview
- Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH): Frequently Asked Questions