Correct Option
The correct option isManufacture of steel
Explanation
Petrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum (crude oil) and natural gas. They serve as the fundamental building blocks for the chemical industry, providing raw materials for a wide range of synthetic materials, primarily organic compounds.
Option Analysis
- Synthetic detergents: Correct usage. Synthetic detergents are cleansing agents manufactured using hydrocarbons derived from petroleum. They are a major downstream product of the petrochemical industry.
- Manufacture of steel: Incorrect usage. Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. The primary raw materials for steel production are iron ore, coal (converted to coke), and limestone. While fossil fuels may be used for energy, petrochemicals are not the chemical precursors for the steel alloy itself.
- Synthetic fibres like nylon: Correct usage. Nylon is a synthetic polymer (polyamide) synthesized from petrochemical intermediates such as adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine.
- Manufacture of polythene: Correct usage. Polythene (Polyethylene) is produced by the polymerization of ethylene. Ethylene is a primary petrochemical obtained through the steam cracking of hydrocarbon feedstocks like naphtha or natural gas.
Key Takeaway: Petrochemicals are the raw materials for organic industrial products such as plastics (polythene), synthetic fibers (nylon), and detergents. Steel production is a metallurgical process based on inorganic raw materials like iron ore and coal.