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Toxicity of lubricating oils
Abstract
This paper highlights past and current work on the toxicity of petroleum lubricants and the base oils from which they are made. The review includes a discussion of short-and long-term toxicity studies carried out to determine potential hazards following skin contact, ingestion, or inhalation of petroleum products and covers the relationship between refining severity and the carcinogenicity of petroleum base oils.
... Used lubricants also contain metals and additional polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that are introduced via engine operation and oil combustion. Such used lubricants are known to be highly mutagenic and more toxic to aquatic organisms than their unused counterparts (Warne and Halder, 1986;Vazquez-Duhalt, 1989). In response to increasing concern about the environmental impacts of lubricants, rapidly biodegradable base fluids created from synthetic esters have been developed. ...
... Basefluids of the 'conventional' and 'biodegradable' lubricants tested in this study are predominately alphaolefins and C18 fatty acid wax esters, respectively . These compounds are considered to be non-toxic to many aquatic organisms such as Oncorhychus mykiss (rainbow trout), Daphnia magna (water flea) and fluorescing bacteria (Warne and Halder, 1986;Bartz, 1992;Carpenter, 1995). Even though these base fluids are non-toxic, mortality may have occurred due to asphyxiation and clogging of the digestive tract by the lubricant when sediment was ingested (Fingas et al., 2001). ...
To investigate the impacts of synthetic lubricants on Antarctic infaunal communities, a field experiment was setup near Australia's Casey Station, East Antarctica. Two types of synthetic lubricants were tested: an ‘Unused’ and ‘Used’ conventional synthetic lubricant, and an alternative marketed as ‘biodegradable’. Clean defaunated sediment was contaminated with the lubricants, decanted into trays, and deployed by divers onto the seabed in a randomised block design. Sediments were sampled 5 and 56 weeks after deployment. After 5 weeks, benthic assemblages that had recruited to the lubricant contaminated sediments were significantly different to those in ‘Control’ sediments, and differences were more pronounced after 56 weeks. Total number of individuals did not significantly differ between treatments after 5 weeks. However, after 56 weeks total individuals in the ‘Control’ sediments were significantly greater than in the contaminated sediments. Nototanais antarcticus (tanaid) and to a lesser extent Monoculodes sp. (gammarid), Tanaid sp. IV and Eudorella sp. (cumacean) had significantly higher abundances in the control sediments after 56 weeks compared to the contaminated sediments. Copepods numerically dominated the benthic assemblages at both sampling times; however, their abundance did not significantly differ across treatments. The community recruiting to the contaminated sediments remained different from that in the ‘Control’ sediments for the duration of the experiment (1 year). The ‘biodegradable’ lubricant was just as environmentally harmful to the Antarctic infauna as the ‘conventional’ lubricant currently used at Australia's Antarctic stations. Our results demonstrate that changes to recruitment are one of the potential environmental consequences of a lubricant spill to Antarctic benthic communities, and reinforce the importance of preventative oil spill management and effective clean-up procedures. Further monitoring of this field experiment will provide much needed information about the long-term impacts by synthetic lubricants in the Antarctic marine environment.
... The solvent action of mineral oil base stocks can cause skin problems and prolonged exposure has been found to be carcinogenic [29]. Thus, the use of additives that might be in any way harmful to health, for example orthotricresyl phosphate (anti-wear) and sodium mercaptobenzothiazole (anti-corrosion), is discouraged and discontinued where skin contact is likely. ...
Oils and greases are normally thought to act to protect materials from degradation; however, this is not their primary purpose. Indeed, in many circumstances during use most lubricants will form corrosive substances that interact detrimentally with metals. This chapter provides a brief overview of the properties and forms of lubricants, the additives that they contain, and their interactions with metal surfaces. The degradation of lubricants especially by oxidation processes is also considered.
... Concerning the biphasic lubrication system, it was observed that the distribution of lubricant by conveying oil particles in compressed air overcomes many of the drawbacks of a circulating liquid system. Using the energy of the compressed air stream allows the generation of a fine, dry, smoke-like fog of oil particles, which can be conveyed over distances up to 150 m and it is possible to be applied directly to the machine element to be lubricated [3], [4], [5]. The most important characteristic of biphasic lubrication which influences the operating temperature, friction and vibration of rolling element bearings is that biphasic lubrication does not require an oil sump in the bearing housing. ...
The paper presents a study for the achievement of an integrated dosing system for a binary lubricant fluid, followed by an evaluation of its tribological properties and a comparison between this one and the classical pump-driven liquid lubrication solution. An experimental stand was design and realized, in order to test a standard gearbox, alternatively lubricated with both systems. The influence of the two lubrication systems on the performance of the gears and ball bearings was investigated, with variations of load and speed. Statistical techniques were used to design an efficient experimental plan. The dependent variables chosen to be monitored in this experiment were the operating temperature and the level of noise. The extended tests show that the binary lubrication system offers better performance than the classical lubrication system.
... En effet, ces produits contiennent des concentrations élevées en hydrocarbures aromatiques polycycliques (Clonfero et al., 1996 ;Thompson et al., 2006), en additifs, en produits de dégradation et en métaux lourds (Fontana et al., 1996 ;Piyush et Mattiasson, 2007). Ils sont aussi connus pour être fortement mutagènes et toxiques aux organismes aquatiques (Warne et Halder, 1986 ;Vazquez-Duhalt, 1989). Les travaux relatifs à l'étude de l'impact de la pollution sur les communautés benthiques sont de plus en plus nombreux (Warwick et al., 1988 ;Beyrem, 1999 ;Rapport D. G. P. A., 2000 ;Millward et al., 2004) mais sont rares les travaux consacrés à l'effet des huiles lubrifiantes sur ces communautés (Thompson et al., 2006 ;Powell et al., 2005). ...
RESUME Une étude microcosmique a été effectuée pour examiner l'influence d'un lubrifiant minéral avant et après son utilisation dans un moteur de véhicule sur la structure trophique de la communauté de nématodes libres originaire de la lagune de Ghar El Melh. Une concentration de 1mg kg -1 de sédiment a été testée pour évaluer l'effet du polluant après 40 jours d'exposition. Les résultats de l'étude ont révélé que les consommateurs non sélectifs (1B), les plus abondants dans le microcosme témoin, ont été très affectés et leur dominance a diminué significativement sous l'effet de la contamination par le lubrifiant minéral avant ou après usage. Les détritivores sélectifs (1A) dont la dominance augmente significativement au iveau des microcosmes traités avec le lubrifiant minéral sont plus résistants au contaminant et profitent de la raréfaction des autres groupes trophiques. Les brouteurs d'épistrates (2A) ont été plus abondants dans tous les microcosmes traités par rapport au témoin. Les omnivores-prédateurs (2B) ont été peu sensibles à cette contamination et paraissent plus perturbés par le lubrifiant non usagé (propre). L'index trophique (Σθ 2) et le rapport 1B/2A ont été significativement réduits dans tous les microcosmes traités avec le lubrifiant minéral qu'il soit « propre » ou usagé. Mots-clés : nématodes libres, structure trophique, lubrifiant minéral, microcosmes, contamination sédimentaire. ABSTRACT Impact of mineral lubricant on the trophic structure of free-living nematode communities: microcosm experimentation. A microcosm experimentation was carried out to evaluate the influence of mineral lubricant before and after its use on the trophic structure of a free-living nematode communities from a Tunisian lagoon (Ghar El Melh). A concentration of 1mg kg -1 of the pollutant was tested to evaluate its effects after 40 days of exposition. The results obtained revealed that the not selective deposit feeders (1B), most abundant in control microcosm, were very affected and their abundance decreases significantly in response to mineral-oil contamination. Selective deposit feeders (1A) showed significantly increase in dominance before and after use of the lubricant and seemed more resistant to this contaminant. The diatom feeders (2A) were more abundant in treated microcosms. The omnivores-predators (2B) seemed to be not sensitive to the contaminant and were affected by the lubricant added before use. The trophic index (Σθ 2) and the 1B/2A ratio have significantly decreased for all microcosms treated with mineral lubricant.
... Acute toxicity of lubricant basefluids and additives is also typically very low with LD 50 > 2g kg 21 for most major additive types. [65][66][67][68] Some materials used historically as lubricant additives have been found to present potential hazards. Use of these materials, such as lead napthenates, chlorinated naphthalenes and tris(ocresyl)phosphate, has generally been discontinued. ...
This paper is a review of the environmental impact of lubricants and lubrication, from a chemical perspective. It is intended to give an overview of our current understanding and to provide some specific examples of how optimising lubricant chemistry can contribute to reducing the environmental impact of human activities. Lubricants affect this impact in many ways, but they have a particularly important contribution to make in relation to energy conservation, minimisation of waste and development of durable products. Truly green lubricants are those that optimise energy efficiency and minimise wear in the machinery which they lubricate and which have maximised service lifetimes in order to reduce the amount of lubricant required. Increasing importance of these criteria in lubricant selection and design is expected to lead to more widespread use of high performance synthetic basefluids and effect additives.
... The food industries need to use specific lubricants when there is a risk of incidental food contact or when the lubricant may contaminate the environment (as is the case in the lumber industry, agriculture and commercial fishing, to name only a few). These lubricants must be biodegradable and remain innocuous throughout their life [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. This need requires particular lubricating bases (as well as specific additives, a requirement whose analysis would go beyond the scope of the present article). ...
The lubricating properties of a new class of esters were studied using a pin on disc tribometer. These molecules are peresters (full esterified esters) of sugars. These peresters are compared to a set of classical esters: esters of pentaerythritol, of trimethylol propane or glycerol. In terms of wear and friction, esters of sorbitol are equivalent if not superior to the classical esters. Moreover, they allow a larger range of viscosity. The structure of the polyol and the length of the fatty acid chains are two important parameters in wear and boundary friction. An increase in the number of ester groups, the length of fatty acid chains and linearity of the polyol explain the higher lubricating performance by the esters.Besides their attractive tribological properties, they show high oxidative stability, excellent biodegradability, and potentially low toxicity. These properties are due to their structure (totally esterified, β-hydrogen, etc.) and this structure makes these peresters strong candidates for replacing mineral oils in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries; in fact they could be used wherever lubricants may directly or indirectly come into contact with animals or humans.
... Razvoj tekućina za obradbu metala usmjeren je prema uljima bez klorparafina koji se zamjenjuju fosfatima, sulfonatima, metalo-organskim spojevima [8]. U području baznih ulja prednost imaju mineralna bazna ulja s manjim sadržajem aromata, pa čak i bez aromata, sa što manjim sadržajem sumpora [9]. Sve je češća primjena prirodnih ulja i masti biljnog ili životinjskog podrijetla u izvornom obliku ili prerađenih 10. ...
The main properties of neat metalworking oils: lubrication, cooling and chips cleaning and other properties are achieved by base oil and additive selection. The concern of people safety at work and ecological protection become leading factors in metalworking fluid development and application. Besides, the modern fluids should meet severe demands of machine constructions and also take place in total costs lowering of metalworking operation. Increased material disposal costs and also ecological concern lead customers to the selection of less harmful fluids and optimal procedures of their disposal. In metalworking fluids composition there is an influence of cutting down the harmful compounds as are chlorinated paraffines, nitrites, diethanolamine, compounds with aromatic nucleus, borates, etc. Base oils which are commonly of mineral origin can be changed with other types, especially with renewable origin. The aim of this work was to create and examine several new formulations of metalworking fluids containing biodegradable oils as possible replacement of mineral base oils. The possibility of their applications in some metalworking operations was examined as well.
Hydrocarbons pose significant risks to marine ecosystems. A field experiment investigated the effects of four different hydrocarbon products (diesel fuel and three lubricating oils: Unused, Used and Biodegradable) on sediment macrofaunal communities over a five year period, in a shallow Antarctic marine embayment. Sediments were defaunated, treated with a hydrocarbon and deployed in trays (including a control) on the seabed. Diesel fuel had the biggest initial impact on communities, with strong effects at 5 weeks and 1 year, in particular on annelids, but also on amphipods, ostracods and cumaceans. By five years, however, the effect of diesel was less than that of lubrication oils and showed more recovery than oiled treatments and the biggest effect was from the Used oil. There was an effect of hydrocarbons on diversity, especially diesel, at 5 weeks and 1 year, but by 2 and 5 years diversity was not different or greater in hydrocarbon treatments than controls. Total abundance was always lower in hydrocarbon treatments than controls, especially for crustaceans, but annelids were more abundant in oil treatments than controls at 5 years. Oils, and in some cases diesel, enhanced the abundance of some taxa at 2–5 years, including molluscs, some polychaete families (capitellids, cirratulids, dorvilleids), oligochaetes, as well as ostracods, cumaceans and isopods. Amphipods and tanaids were most sensitive to hydrocarbons, and annelids were very sensitive to diesel. The Biodegradable oil had similar community effects to standard oil at 5 years, but annelids were more affected by Biodegradable oil, particularly at 1 and 2 years, and it did not enhance annelid or mollusc abundance at 5 years like the other oil, except for some polychaete families. Impacts of spilled hydrocarbons in Antarctica will persist well beyond 5 years, but diesel impacts will recover faster than oil.
Schmierstoffe können bei sorglosem Umgang auf unterschiedliche Weise die Umwelt negativ beeinflussen bzw. die Gesundheit von Menschen schädigen. Wenn auch die Gefahr. für Umwelt und Gesundheit, die von modernen Schmierstoffen ausgeht, in beiden Fällen als gering einzustufen ist, so gilt es doch eine Reihe von gesetzlichen Regelungen aus dem Umweltrecht und aus dem Arbeitsschutzrecht vor, bei und nach dem Einsatz von Schmierstoffen zu beachten. Zu jedem Rechtsgebiet kommt jeweils ein verzweigtes untergesetzliches Regelwerk hinzu.
The requirement for environmentally adapted lubricants has begun to play an increasingly important role in many industrial applications, particularly in the last two decades. The present-day requirements for biodegrable and eco-friendly lubricants imply that lubricants have properties that can minimise, if not eliminate, negative environmental impact, such as contamination of soil and water, caused by lost lubrication, leakage and accidents. The dominant factors that have a direct impact on the environment and which characterise the lubricant and its chemical composition, are toxicity, bio-accumulation and biodegradability. Biodegradability is perhaps the most important factor which determines the fate of lubricant in the environment. Various commercial, governmental, and regulatory initiatives exist that protect the interests of the consumer. Life cycle analysis can help in assessing the total environmental impact of lubricants. This paper reviews the essential requirements of environmentally adapted lubricants, i.e., chemical composition, eco-toxicity, biodegradability, bio-accumulation, and eco-labelling schemes, and life cycle analysis.
The experimental studies on the ecotoxicity of several typical lubricant additives were conducted by applying luminescent bacteria as subjects. The approach provides update experimental model for biological inspection of varied oil pollution and studies on aquatic ecological toxicity. The results of the experiments show that additives have characteristics of toxicity and they differ dramatically, their applying scope and proportion are limited by the indexes of ecotoxicity; the ecotoxicity of lubricants are mainly decided by additives. That found in the experiment has an instructive meaning for reasonable application of additives and it accumulates some basic data for environmental friendly lubricants. During the studies, the principle of mitosis coefficients decrease was initially detected between water accommodated fraction (WAF) loading rate of ordinary lubricant additives and its relative luminosity, and basic formulas were presented.
Legislation world-wide has made it necessary to find ways to control the level of engine emissions and reduce the damage to our environment. Increasing restrictions have made the elimination of zinc dithiophosphates from crankcase oils and increasing the effectiveness of catalytic converters viable options. Lead and phosphorus containing compounds in the exhaust are known catalyst poisons that shorten the life of current automotive catalysts. Unleaded fuel has successfully resulted in a reduction of harmful emissions due to the fuel. Current government and industry research is actively pursuing replacement of phosphorus additives with phosphorus free additives. Several phosphorus-free oils were developed and are evaluated in bench tests in this study. Test comparisons with phosphorus-containing oils demonstrated satisfactory oxidation stability and wear performance of the phosphorus free oils.
An extremely urgent problem exists in the use of commercial petroleum products - fuels, lubricants, working fluids - in all types of transport. Therefore, ecological requirements must be taken into account in the stage of developing these products, along with the need to optimize the service properties of the products. These requirements pertain primarily to motor oils, whether fresh or reclaimed. The combined and purposeful efforts of both engine designers and builders and those concerned with the development of lubricants will undoubtedly help to solve a most important problem - preservation of clean air and water as a primary condition for human health.
Low viscosity polyalphaolefin fluids (2 and 4 cSt ® 100°C) are significantly biodegraded under the conditions of the CEC-L-33-T-82 test procedure. This is contrary to the widespread, but inaccurate, perception that polyalphaolefin (PAO)fluids are generally not biodegradable. In a time-extended CEC-L-33-T-82 test, the 2, 4, and 8 cSt fluids were shown to continue biodegrading well past the 21 -day span prescribed in the standard method. PAO fluids are considered non-toxic and non-irritating to mammals. Moreover, they are not expected to be toxic to aquatic organisms: in the Microtox® test with bioluminescent bacteria, no observable effects were detected for concentrations of 49,500 ppm of the water-soluble fraction.
Polypropylene oligomers were used to formulate two-stroke (2T) engine oil for once-through lubrication systems, to enhance the exhaust emission characteristics of two-stroke engines. The oligomers alone are suitable from a stability viewpoint, but must be reinforced with polyol-ester components to have good load-carrying capability. Both ash-forming and ash-free commercial additive packages can be used to formulate the end-product. The exhaust stream includes the unburnt portion of the fuel:oil mixture. The lubricating oils formulated on polypropylene oligomer base do not contain polynuclear aromatics, the sulphur-dioxide emission is due to the sulphur content of the fuel and additive (if any). On a bench test, the hydrocarbon emission was significantly lower using polypropylene oil, in comparison to using a commercial mineral-oil-based composition.
The requirement for environmentally adapted lubricants has begun to play an increasingly important role in many industrial applications, particularly in the last two decades. The present-day requirements for biodegradable and eco-friendly lubricants imply that lubricants have properties that can minimise, if not eliminate, negative environmental impact, such as contamination of soil and water, caused by lost lubrication, leakage and accidents. The dominant factors that have a direct impact on the environment and which characterise the lubricant and its chemical composition, are toxicity, bio-accumulation and biodegradability. Biodegradability is perhaps the most important factor which determines the fate of lubricant in the environment.
Various commercial, governmental, and regulatory initiatives exist that protect the interests of the consumer. Life cycle analysis can help in assessing the total environmental impact of lubricants. This paper reviews the essential requirements of environmentally adapted lubricants, i.e., chemical composition, eco-toxicity, biodegradability, bio-accumulation, and eco-labelling schemes, and life cycle analysis.
SummaryInternationally, environmental concerns, public opinion, and government regulation have initiated extensive controls on the use and disposal of industrial products including grinding fluids. As a result, waste disposal costs have increased as has manufacturer liability for the effect of wastes upon the environment and for the impact of manufacturing processes upon worker health. In the case of grinding fluids, these trends have resulted in an emphasis on fluid maintenance in order to minimize the amount of waste generated, to extend the life of the fluid, and to mitigate negative effects on worker health. The concept of fluid management encompasses fluid selection, maintenance of fluid concentration and emulsion stability, control of microbial levels, and removal of impurities. Upon failure, used fluids must be treated either to reduce toxicity or to render them suitable for recycling. Although techniques and equipment have been developed for fluid maintenance and waste disposal, more research is warranted accurately to determine the extent and forms of the impact of grinding fluids on the environment, given that government regulation shall become increasingly stringent and that the impact upon manufacturing processes promises to be far reaching.
Effective, economical and environmentally acceptable lubrication
of cement mill Type 2 open gear drives has become a complex issue.
Selecting the correct lubricant is no longer a matter of “meeting
the manufacturer's specifications”. Environmental, safety, and
health regulations will continue to influence what products may be used,
how they may be stored and applied, and how they may be disposed after
use. The intent of this paper is to inform readers of the current status
of Type 2 open gear lubrication. It is also a summary general guide for
determining the options available in selecting an acceptable method of
lubrication and lubricant for most Type 2 drives. Hopefully, it will
also positively influence readers to adopt or improve upon existing
monitoring and maintenance practices to assist in their achievement of
optimum drive service life
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