Leaded gasoline

Leaded gasoline contains tetraethyl lead, which is a toxic organometallic compound. Previously, it was used as an antiknock additive to fuel, and its purpose was to increase the octane number.

The effect of the antidetonation of this compound was discovered by American scientists of the company "General Motors" in 1921. Inventor Thomas Midgley, who is well aware of the harmful properties of lead entering leaded gasoline, suggested replacing the word "lead" with the word "methyl" that is less understandable for most people. A very short time passed, and the terrible consequences of this invention began to affect the ordinary people working for the company "General Motors". Disorders of the psyche and related diseases began to take away human lives and irretrievably destroy the health of workers. Nevertheless, most of the gasoline produced in the US contained lead.

At the end of the forties and early fifties, how badly leaded petrol was harmful, serious talk was started from all the stands, but because of the strong lobbying of its producers, it was not possible to ban the production of this poison. Only in 1972 a ban on the use of tetraethyl lead was introduced, but several years later it was possible to completely dislodge it from the market. In 1986, the production of fuel containing tetraethyl lead was completely discontinued. The recovery of the American nation began: the lead in the blood of the population declined by 78% in 1994 compared with 1978. It was a victory of common sense over the notorious money.

Leaded gasoline was also widely used on the territory of the USSR. In the 80 years of the last century, the refusal to use tetraethyl lead began, which ended by 2003. On January 1, 2000, leaded petrol was completely banned on the territory of the EU countries. China refused to use tetraethyl lead in 2001. At present, most countries of the world do not produce this substance. In the UK, it continues to produce a small amount of it, used as an additive to fuel for racing cars, but its production and use are unprofitable due to very high taxes levied on manufacturers. Tetraethyl lead continues to be used in several underdeveloped countries because of the cheapness of its production. These countries include Afghanistan, Yemen, North Korea and several other states.

Today in the whole civilized world try to use unleaded gasoline, which does not contain tetraethyl lead, does not affect people's health and does not violate the ecology. To improve the quality of gasoline, various additives are introduced into it, as well as reducing the percentage of harmful substances (sulfur, aromatic hydrocarbons , etc.) in it. Unleaded gasoline should contain an allowable concentration of actual resins (not more than 5 mg per 100 cm3). Also, gasoline should be divided according to saturated vapor pressure and fractional composition. The best and most economical type for cars is A-98.

The composition of gasoline includes components that are produced as a result of a variety of technological processes. These include, for example, direct distillation of oil, catalytic cracking, catalytic reforming, vacuum gas oil hydrocracking and other methods and technologies.

The composition of gasoline depends not only on the method of its production, but also on the brand. The higher the octane number, the higher the quality of gasoline. Gasoline A-95 has higher performance than gasoline A-92. Aviation gasoline has a higher octane number than automobile gasoline, due to the fact that the requirements imposed on them are higher.