It also contains various additives to improve its burning properties. The lead emitted from leaded petrol accumulates in the environment. High octane unleaded petrol can also contain aromatics. Xylene and toluene are less volatile and are used instead, but they are still toxic. Their main applications are in rubber cements, contact cements and in some rubber-based paints.
Mineral turpentine contains a high percentage of aromatic solvent, as does white spirit.
These are all synthetic solvents. They have excellent solvent properties for fatty materials and for synthetic resins. Although many of them are quite volatile they do not burn, and so are safer to use than hydrocarbon solvents. The main applications for chlorinated solvents are degreasing and dry-cleaning. Traces of chloroform and trichloroethane are formed during the chlorination of drinking water.