What chemical compound caused the industrial disaster in Henderson, Nevada on May 4, 1988?
Ammonium perchlorate Ammonium perchlorate ("AP") is an inorganic compound with the formula NHClO. It is a colorless or white solid that is soluble in water. Perchlorate is a powerful oxidizer and ammonium is a good fuel. This combination explains the usefulness of this material as a rocket propellant. Its instability has involved it in a number of accidents, such as the PEPCON disaster.
Cosco Busan oil spill The "Cosco Busan" oil spill occurred at 08:30 UTC-8 on 7 November 2007 between San Francisco and Oakland, California, in which 53569 gal of IFO-380 heavy fuel oil, sometimes referred to as "bunker fuel", spilled into San Francisco Bay after the container ship "Cosco Busan", operated by Fleet Management Ltd., struck Delta Tower of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge in thick fog.