Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons. Measure of the concentration or mass of petroleum hydrocarbon constituents present in a given amount of soil or water. The word "total" is a misnomer--few, if any, of the procedures for quantifying hydrocarbons can measure all of them in a given sample. Volatile ones are usually lost in the process and not quantified and non-petroleum hydrocarbons sometimes appear in the analysis.
Total petroleum hydrocarbons, typically measured by levels of BTXE.
total petroleum hydrocarbon. A name given to a mass of petroleum hydrocarbon constituents present in the air, soil, or water. TPH does not distinguish between different types of fuels.