Barabara ya lami huathirika zaidi na petroli na dizeli, ambao muundo wake wa kemikali hujumuisha alkanes na cycloalkanes. Tofauti, lami imeundwa na hidrokaboni iliyojaa, misombo ya kunukia, lami, na resini.
Utafiti unaonyesha kufanana kwa muundo wa kemikali kati ya lami na mafuta haya, inavyothibitishwa na vigezo vyao vya karibu vya kufutwa. This similarity underpins the “like dissolves like” principle, suggesting that gasoline and diesel can significantly penetrate and dissolve lami.