Hydraulic fluid
From Freepedia
Hydraulic fluids are a large group of liquids made of many kinds of chemicals. They are used in automobile automatic transmissions, brakes, and power steering; forklift trucks; tractors; bulldozers; industrial machinery; and airplanes. The three most common types of hydraulic fluids are mineral oil, organophosphate ester, and polyalphaolefin. Others are based on glycol esters and ethers, castor oil, or silicone. Some of the trade names for hydraulic fluids include Durad®, Fyrquel®, Skydrol®, Houghton-Safe®, Pydraul®, Reofos®, Reolube®, and Quintolubric®.
Brake fluid is a subtype of hydraulic fluid with high boiling point and low freezing point.
Some hydraulic fluids have a bland, oily smell and others have no smell; some will burn and some will not burn. Certain hydraulic fluids are produced from crude oil and others are manufactured.
Hydraulic fluids can contain a wide range of different chemical compounds; oils, butanol, phthalates (eg. DEHP), corrosion inhibitors, etc.
It was reported that 3,800 patients of the Duke University Health System were operated on in late 2004 with instruments that were washed in hydraulic fluid instead of detergent. This occurred after an elevator company drained hydraulic fluid into empty detergent barrels, and the detergent supplier redistributed them as detergent; both substances are similar in appearance. The problem was not fixed for weeks in spite of the fact that staff members complained that the tools were "slick". The hospital claims that there are no risks associated with the mix-up however, patients have reported lingering health concerns.
