Asphalt, more commonly referred to as bitumen in Europe, is a dark brown to black, cement-like semisolid or solid or viscous liquid produced by the non-destructive distillation of crude oil during petroleum refining. The major types of asphalt products are paving asphalts and roofing asphalts. Asphalt is also used in asphalt-based paints as protective coatings to prevent corrosion of metals; in lining irrigation canals, water reservoirs, dams, and sea defence works; in adhesives in electrical laminates; and as a base for synthetic turf. The exact chemical composition of asphalt is dependent on the chemical complexity of the original crude petroleum and the manufacturing process. Crude petroleum consists mainly of aliphatic compounds, cyclic alkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), and metals (e.g., iron, nickel, and vanadium). This book evaluates the effects of asphalts on human health and environment. The frequency and concentration of potential asphalt exposures may be lower for the general population than for workers in the various sectors of the asphalt industry. Acute effects of exposure to asphalt vapours are reported.

Literatura: s. 33-38