Phenol

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

What is Phenol? Phenol is both a manufactured chemical and a natural substance. It is a colorless-to-white solid when pure. The commercial product is a liquid. Phenol has a distinct odor that is sickeningly sweet and tarry.Read More

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

What are PCBs? (Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)are a group of man-made organic chemicals consisting of carbon, hydrogen and chlorine atoms. The number of chlorine atoms and their location in a PCB molecule determine many of its physical and chemical properties. PCBs have no known taste or smell, and range in consistency from an oil to a waxy solid.Read More

Pyrene

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

What is Pyrene? Pyrene is one of a group of chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs for short. PAHs are often found together in groups of two or more. They can exist in over 100 different combinations but the most common are treated as a group of 15. Read More

RDX

Estimated Reading Time: < 1 minute

What is RDX? RDX stands for Royal Demolition Explosive, also known as cyclonite, hexogen, and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine. RDX is used as an explosive. It is a synthetic product that does not occur naturally in the environment.Read More

Styrene

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

What is Styrene? Styrene is primarily a synthetic chemical. It is also known as vinylbenzene, ethenylbenzene, cinnamene, or phenylethylene. It’s a colorless liquid that evaporates easily and has a sweet smell. It often contains other chemicals that give it a sharp, unpleasant smell. It dissolves in some liquids but doesn’t dissolve easily in water. Styrene is used predominately in the production of polystyrene plastics and resins. Read More

TNT

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

What is TNT? TNT is a yellow, odorless solid that does not occur naturally in the environment. It is made by combining toluene with a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids. It is a highly explosive, single-ring nitro aromatic compound that is a crystalline solid at room temperatureRead More

Toluene

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

What is Toluene? Toluene is an aromatic hydrocarbon. It is a colorless, water-insoluble liquid with the smell associated with paint thinners. It is a mono-substituted benzene derivative, consisting of a CH3 group attached to a phenyl group. The major use of toluene is as a mixture added to gasoline to improve octane ratings.Read More