Petrochemical, Textile, and Other Key Industries
Petrochemical Industry
Petrochemicals refer to chemicals derived from fossil fuels. These include purified fossil fuels such as methane, propane, butane, gasoline, kerosene, diesel, and aviation fuel. Petrochemicals also encompass pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, plastics, asphalt, and synthetic fibers.
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is the science and technology of extracting and processing metals from ores, including non-metallic materials. It also covers alloy production, quality control processes, and corrosion control.
The petrochemical industry focuses on obtaining chemical derivatives from oil and associated gas. Petrochemicals include all chemicals derived from these sources. The modern petrochemical industry emerged in the late nineteenth century. Most petrochemical products are manufactured from a relatively small number of hydrocarbons, including methane, ethane, propane, butane, and aromatics derived from benzene.
Agricultural Chemistry
Agricultural Chemistry is a discipline within chemistry that analyzes the reactions occurring in agricultural ecosystems, as well as those in processes necessary to transform or preserve plant products. It is supported by other fields, primarily physics, biology, soil science, and mathematics.
Food Industry
The food industry is responsible for the elaboration, transformation, preparation, preservation, and packaging of food for human and animal consumption. The industry’s raw materials mainly consist of products of plant origin (agriculture), animal origin (cattle ranching), and fungal origin. Progress in this industry has significantly impacted our daily diet, increasing the number of available food options. This increased production has been accompanied by ongoing efforts to monitor hygiene and enforce food laws in various countries, aiming to regulate and standardize processes and products.
Pharmaceutical Industry
The pharmaceutical industry is dedicated to the manufacture, preparation, and marketing of medicinal chemicals for the treatment and prevention of diseases, generating substantial economic profits. Some companies manufacture bulk pharmaceutical chemicals (primary production), while others prepare them for medical use through methods known collectively as secondary production. Secondary production processes include highly automated manufacturing of dosed drugs, such as tablets, capsules, or sachets for oral administration, solutions for injection, ovules, and suppositories.
Textile Industry
The textile industry is the economic sector dedicated to the production of clothing, fabric, thread, fiber, and related products. Although technically a distinct sector, it is often included with the footwear industry in economic statistics. Textiles are consumer products sold in large quantities. The textile industry generates many jobs directly and indirectly and holds significant weight in the global economy. It is one of the industries that generates the most controversy, particularly in the definition of international trade agreements, mainly due to its impact on employment rates.