Special Mineral Oil Analyses

Mineral oils are analysed mainly by gas chromatography. There are, however, some important examples of the use of TLC in detecting traces of mineral oils. 

Crump [13] has analysed edible oils which had been contaminated or adulterated with mineral oil-containing lubricants and with the help of TLC was able to distinguish between synthetic ester oils, glycerides and mineral oils. He used silica gel G layers and chloroform-benzene (70 + 30) as solvent. The oil spots can be located in UV light or by spraying with concentrated sulphuric acid and subsequently heating to 160° C [14]. 

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