Biodegradation synthetic oils

Figure 4.94 shows the structure of Biopol, a biodegradable synthetic polymer manufactured by certain strains of bacteria. Although relatively expensive, it has found use as a packaging material for cosmetics and motor oils although its main intended applications were medical - for surgical stitches and in the controlled release of medicines into the body. 

The use of a series of vegetable oils including canola oil as base fluids for industrial and automotive applications has been discussed in the Uterature (Erhan and Perez, 2002). These vegetable oil-based products were prepared by chemical modifications of the epoxidized vegetable oils to produce environmentally friendly hydraulic fluids, lubricants, metalworking fluids and diesel engine oils. Environmentally friendly, nontoxic and biodegradable motor oil based on canola (Johnson et al., 2002) has shown superior properties compared with synthetic and conventional motor oils. 

Vegetable and seed oils as well as some synthetic base stocks present a new class of biodegradable base stocks. These fluids (10) have excellent biodegradation properties as measured by criteria developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). OECD 301 and EPA 560/6-82-003 measure the biodegradation of lubricants. These tests were developed to measure the degradation of oil, especially two-cycle ok, on waterways. Aquatic toxicity criteria toward fish is also found to be acceptable for this class of fluids as measured by EPA 560/6-82-002 and OECD 203 1-12. 

Because biosurfactants are natural, biodegradable products, they are an attractive alternative to synthetic surfactants, particularly for in situ remediation. Biosurfactants are also potentially useful agents for oil spill remediation, where they can be used to disperse pollutants that remain in the water or have washed up on land. 

The use of n-paraffins recovered include octane value enhancement of gasoline, solvents and raw materials for biodegradable detergents, fire retardants, plasticizers, alcohol, fatty acids, synthetic proteins, lube oil additives, and a-olefins. A detailed discussion on n-paraffin separation processes is available (1). 

Biodegradable polymers can also be made from mineral oil based resources such as the aliphatic-aromatic co-polyester types. Mixtures of synthetic degradable polyesters and pure plant starch, known as starch blends, are also well-established products on the market. 

Cotton is really a very versatile fiber in that it takes color easily, absorbs moisture readily, and is durable in a wide variety of environments. Cotton yam finds use in all kinds of clothing, often mixed with synthetic fibers. In fact, according to one estimate almost half of all textiles worldwide are made of cotton (Thompson, 1994). Besides apparel, cotton fiber is used in coffee filters, fishnets, lace, upholstery, etc. It is biodegradable and can be used as a sorbent in oil spills. 

Soybean oil (SBO) and high oleic (90%) sunflower oil (HOSO) were chosen for evaluation as examples of vegetable oils (62). Polyalphaolephin and adipate represented widely used synthetic biodegradable lubricating basestocks. The mineral oil was a typical non-biodegradable basestock mostly used for formulations of automotive lubricants. Except for natural antioxidants, the above fluids did not have any additives. 

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