Mineral oil

From Freepedia

Mineral oil or liquid petrolatum is a by-product in the distillation of petroleum to produce gasoline. It is a chemically inert transparent colorless oil composed mainly of alkanes and cyclic paraffins, related to white petrolatum. Mineral oil is a substance of negligible value, as it is produced in very large quantities. It is commonly used as a lubricant and a laxative. Additionally, mineral oil is used in the chemistry industry to store and transport alkali metals.

1 Applications
- 1.1 Personal Care
- 1.2 Other Uses
2 Also known as
- 2.1 Sources

Applications

Personal Care

Mineral oil with added fragrance is marketed as 'baby oil' in the US and UK.

As a laxative, mineral oil is taken orally. It works by lubricating feces and the intestinal mucus membranes and limiting the amount of water removed from feces. Typically, mineral oil is effective within six hours. While it has been reported that mineral oil may be absorbed when emulsified, most information shows that it passes harmlessly through the gastrointestinal system.

Can also be used for eyelashes; can generally be used to prevent brittleness and/or breaking of lashes.

Other Uses

Mineral oil is also sold in a less viscous form as a wooden cutting board preservative.

Mineral oil is excellent at protecting metal surfaces from moisture and oxidation. These properties makes it an excellent protectant for knives.

Also known as

Paraffin oil; Heat-treating oil; Hydraulic oil; Cable oil; Lubricating oil; Oil mist, refined mineral; mineral oil mist; oil mist, mineral, severely refined; Uvasol; Paraffin oils; Mineral oil hydrocarbon solvent (petroleum); Mineral oil (saturated parrafin oil); oil, petroleum; Nujol; liquid paraffin; white mineral oil; clearteck; drakeol; hevyteck; filtrawhite; frigol; kremol; kaydol; alboline; paroleine; Saxol; adepsine oil; glymol; lignite oil; blandol white mineral oil; carnea 21; Ervol; gloria; hydrocarbon oils; peneteck; primol; triona b; blandlube; crystosol; Molol; protopet; bayol f; crystol 325; fonoline; bayol 55; kondremul; neo-cultol; oil mist; penreco; perfecta; petrogalar; primol 355; primol d; tech pet f; Petroleum hydrocarbons; jute batching oil; paraffin oil (class); petrolium, liquid; white oil; Mineral oil, aromatic; Mineral oil, paraffinic; Mineral Seal Oil; Electrical Insulating Oil.