CH3CH2OH ...this is ethanol. There are trace amounts of aldehydes and a few aeromatics...but a very small amount. Petro contains: (Wiki) The hydrocarbons in crude oil are mostly alkanes, cycloalkanes and various aromatic hydrocarbons while the other organic compounds contain nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, and trace amounts of metals such as iron, nickel, copper and vanadium. The exact molecular composition varies widely from formation to formation but the proportion of chemical elements vary over fairly narrow limits as follows:[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum We commonly assume that gasoline contains over 100 different chemical compounds. These vary...while gasoline is reformulated by season...using lighter chemicals (zylene,tolulene,benzene) during winter months. (These are lighter and contain less btu's/gallon than heavier hence less mpg's) So, run these two mixtures though your combustion engine and you get another major (very complex) reformulation. It seems to make common sense to me that you'd have many fewer cancer causing critters in the simple ethanol formulation than in the mess coming out of gasoline. Can we agree here? Pimental has always hated CORN production. His studies were as bias as any academic beholding to corporate or other $$$$ interests. But just because he is bias it does not mean he has no good points. Ethanol is a premium (from enviro stand point) liquid transport fuel. It needs to be produced sustainably, unlike today. We can do this if we get the incentive structure correct. This is our faults, not ethanols. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp