Mineral Oil Research Articles

Effects of Mineral and Almond Oil Administration on Transepidermal Water Loss and Skin Acidity in Chronic Renal Failure Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

Introduction: Patients undergoing hemodialysis experience decreased moisture content in the dermis due to fluid transfer during the dialysis process, causing xerosis, pruritus, and damage to the skin barrier. Almond oil and mineral oil are well-known moisturizers used in skin care products. Objectives: To compare the effect of almond oil with mineral oil on transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin acidity in hemodialyzed chronic renal failure (CRF) patients. Methods: An experimental study was conducted on patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) undergoing hemodialysis at Dr. Moewardi Hospital in Indonesia. The study involved applying mineral and almond oils twice daily on the right and left forearms for four weeks. We measured TEWL and pH levels before and after the treatment. Results: There is a significant difference in TEWL between before and after mineral oil application (p=0.036), but not in the almond oil arm (p=0.394). Subsequently, the change of TEWL value significantly differed between mineral oil and almond oil (p=0.043). However, the effects of mineral oil and almond oil on pH were insignificant (p=0.574 and 0.268, respectively). Conclusion: After undergoing hemodialysis, CRF patients experienced a statistically significant reduction in transepidermal water loss (TEWL) when using mineral oil compared to both baseline and almond oil.

Reusable nontoxic pyrimidine‐based oleogelators: Phase selectivity and nanostructured structuring

AbstractOver the last few decades, scientists have been working hard to produce edible structural agents those can be used in food, cosmetics, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. The supramolecular assembly of simple amphiphiles in presence of edible oil is the most ideal system for this purpose because the system has no harmful health consequences. We have attempted to address the aforementioned implications in this article by synthesizing a novel class of structuring agents 2‐alkyl amino pyrimidine‐4‐carboxylic acid amphiphiles named 2‐decylamino‐pyrimidine‐4‐carboxylic acid (DPCA), 2‐dodecylamino‐ pyrimidine‐4‐carboxylic acid (DDPCA) and 2‐tetradecylamino‐pyrimidine‐4‐carboxylic acid (TDPCA), using simple procedure. To our delight, the prepared amphiphiles self‐assemble to a gel matrix in various vegetable oils and mineral oils. Microscopic analyses were used to investigate the nanostructured morphology of molecular gels. Rheological studies revealed that oleogels are mechanically processable and viscoelastic. Temperature dependent and concentration dependent proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H‐NMR) studies were performed to analyze the hydrogen bonding and π–π interactions. The study discovered that gelators act as reusable phase selective gelators (PSG) of oil in water–oil mixture. The (3‐[4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl]‐2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) (MTT) assay has proven that the synthetic oleogelators are nontoxic.

Psychometric Functions for α-Ionone in Young Adults.

The mathematical relationship between the ability to detect an odorant and its concentration appears for some odorants to be non-monotonic, with reversals ("notches") in performance appearing at points along the psychometric function. Like visual adaptation curves that reflect the differential sensitivities of cones and rods, such reversals may provide information about underlying olfactory receptor processes. However, the presence of such reversals is rarely acknowledged, few participants and odorants have been tested, and methodological concerns abound. In this study, we examined in detail the psychometric function for the odorant α-ionone using a sizable number of young participants and 10 log-based concentrations of alpha-ionone presented in a random fashion. A trial consisted of the counterbalanced presentation of an odorless mineral oil and a concentration of α-ionone in rapid succession using Snap & Sniff® wands. The participants reported which of the two seemed stronger and indicated their confidence on a 9-point scale. In Study 1, 24 participants completed a single 30-minute test session of 60 trials. In Study 2, 600 trials were obtained from each of nine participants over the course of ten 30-minute sessions. In both studies, notches were consistently found in the psychometric function near the 10-5 and 10-3.5 vol/vol concentrations. Participants' trial-by-trial confidence judgments corresponded with their detection performance, but their self-rated sense of smell did not. This research definitively demonstrates the presence of reliable reversals in the human α-ionone psychometric function and begs the question as to whether such reversals reflect the recruitment of receptive elements with differing response profiles.

Production of Biossurfactants with Aquous Extract of Carobas Using Bacillus safensis

Objective: This study evaluated the production of biosurfactants by Bacillus safensis using aqueous extract of mesquite. Theoretical Framework: Biosurfactants are surface-active molecules of microbial origin with low toxicity and high biodegradability, which differentiate them from synthetic surfactants. Method: The experiments were conducted in a shaker (200 rpm and 37 ºC), with 10% (v/v) aqueous extract of mesquite supplemented with 1% (w/v) yeast extract. The production of biosulfant was evaluated by analyzing the kinetic parameters and emulsification index. Results and Discussion: The experiments with yeast extract supplementation showed better performance in the production of biosurfactants. The maximum specific growth rate was 0.209 h-1, substrate conversion factor in cells was 0.190 gx/gs and 0.041 g/mL of crude biosurfactant in 124 h of cultivation, whose emulsification was 55.20% in mineral oil. The biosurfactant produced had lipopeptide characteristics. Research Implications: The research suggests that aqueous mesquite extract may be a viable and economical alternative as a substrate to produce biosurfactants, especially lipopeptides. Supplementation with yeast extract significantly improved the cultivation performance, indicating that adjustments in the medium formulation may further enhance the efficiency of the process. Originality/Value: This study contributes significantly to literature by exploring an innovative approach to produce biosurfactants, using aqueous mesquite extract as a low-cost substrate. The originality of the research lies in the use of undervalued raw material, demonstrating its potential to replace more expensive traditional sources in the production of biotechnological compounds.

Current–Voltage–Friction Characteristics of Grease in Electromechanically Loaded Sliding Contacts

Abstract Electromechanically loaded contacts, which have relative motion between the contacting parts, experience severe damage compared to mechanically loaded contacts. The electromechanical environment occurs when different types of current flow through the bearings of traction motors due to the usage of electronic speed control devices. The current passage through the contact depends on the voltage potential developed across the contact. Grease is commonly used as a lubricant, and degradation and evaporation of lubricant due to the joule heating effect are concerns in electromechanical contacts. This study reports the current–voltage–friction characteristics of lithium mineral oil grease using a ball-on-disk configuration under combined electrical and mechanical loading. The characteristics indicated a transition of the lubricated contact from a non-conducting state to a conducting state with increased applied voltage. Two critical voltages are identified: one where the friction is observed to rise and the other where the current flow rapidly increases, leading to accelerated damage to the lubricant by inducing a significantly high temperature. The study helps in identifying permissible voltage levels for operating bearings safely from the perspective of grease lubricant using simplified ball-on-disk experiments.

Kinetic study of mineral oil removal from wastewater by the sono-electrochemical process

ABSTRACT Chemical kinetics can be a useful tool for determining the optimal operating time of electrochemical processes. The main objective of the study was to determine the mineral oil removal rate by sono-electrochemical treatment. In this study, zero-, first-, and second-order kinetic models were used to determine the reaction rate of mineral oil removal with the sono-electrochemical process. The reaction rate experiments were conducted under the following optimal conditions: 8 min of treatment time, a current density of 53.1 A/m2, and a flow rate of 0.23 L/s. It was found that the changes in mineral oil concentrations follow second-order kinetics with a coefficient of determination of 0.9732. The mineral oil removal efficiency was 94.4%. This study concludes that sono-electrochemical process could be a promising technology for the removal of mineral oil from wastewater, and that the mineral oil removal rate can be determined by chemical kinetics. The results obtained may be useful for the optimization of the sono-EC process and reactor design.

The Impact of Feed Management Technologies on Mineral Oil Hydrocarbons (MOH) Contamination: A Comparative Farm Level Approach

Legislative frameworks about contamination are often limited to foods and underestimate the role of animal nutrition for safe production. This study aims to assess mineral oil hydrocarbon (MOH) contamination in feed and identify the technological factors that are contributing to this issue, particularly focused on mechanised harvesting and processing. Three dairy farms, classified by contamination risk (low, medium, and high), were selected, and fifteen feed samples were analysed using the coupled liquid chromatography–gas chromatography–flame ionisation detection (LC–GC–FID) method, with a microwave-assisted saponification (MAS) step to determine mineral oil saturated (MOSH) and aromatic (MOAH) hydrocarbon levels. Important contamination levels were observed depending on the technological development of each farm. MOSH levels ranged from 11.4 mg/kg to 81.40 mg/kg, while MOAH levels ranged from 0.5 mg/kg to 4.6 mg/kg. MOAH accounted for 4.74% of the total MOH content. The results showed a connection between feed production technologies and MOH contamination levels. Factors such as the mechanisation, the machinery used, and the storage conditions were potentially contributors to contamination, while chemical treatments had no direct impact but some potential risks. The contamination levels varied across farms, indicating certain contamination sources beyond technological factors. Advanced technological measures and proper equipment maintenance are suggested to mitigate MOH contamination risks in feed.

The Role of Functionalized CuO Additive in Enhancing Tribological Performance of Plastic Oil Lubricant

ABSTRACTThe study investigated the potential of waste plastic oil (PO) as an alternative to petroleum‐based lubricants, specifically mineral oil. The rheological properties, dispersion stability, friction, and wear performance of PO were examined and compared with mineral oil. Results showed that PO demonstrated similar lubrication performance to mineral oil. To enhance the lubrication performance of PO, the study incorporated various concentrations of nano CuO solid lubricant additives, resulting in the formation of CuO nano lubricants. These lubricants showed an improvement in friction and wear by 20% and 44% compared with PO. Furthermore, the CuO solid lubricant additives were functionalized and incorporated in the same concentrations into PO, resulting in the formation of functionalized nano lubricants, which further lowered the friction and wear by 28% and 91% compared with PO. The novelty of the paper is that a simple chemical functionalization process that not only helped in improving its dispersion stability of additives in the PO, but also enhanced the wear performance. The mechanisms behind the enhancement of friction and wear performance were discussed. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that incorporating functionalized nano additives in PO improve friction and wear performance in mechanical components, promoting wider utilisation of PO.

In situ bioaugmented phytoremediation of cadmium and crude oil co-contaminated soil by Ocimum gratissimum in association with PGPR Micrococcus luteus WN01

Heavy metals and petroleum oil are the two most important contaminants in the environment. Currently, phytoremediation is regarded as an effective and affordable solution that allows the attenuation of toxic pollutants through the use of plants. Not many studies are carried out regarding the use of aromatic plants capable of remediating soil that is co-contaminated by heavy metal and petroleum hydrocarbons. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of cadmium-resistant PGPR Micrococcus luteus on the phytoremediation efficiency of Ocimum gratissimum in Cd and petroleum co-contaminated soil. The plants were harvested after 60 days of treatment and their growth and biomass were determined. The accumulation of Cd in plant shoots and roots was determined. The residual petroleum hydrocarbon concentration during the 60 days of the phytoremediation experiment was determined using GC-FID. O. gratissimum with M. luteus showed the highest Cd accumulation (14.05 mg kg−1) and the highest reduction of TPH (46.64%). M. luteus ameliorated contaminant toxicity and promoted biomass production of O. gratissimum. These results demonstrated that O. gratissimum in combination with M. luteus can be efficiently used to remediate Cd and petroleum-co-contaminated soils.

Orbital and peri-ocular parffinoma: case series and literature review

BackgroundParaffinoma is a rare and intriguing condition in medicine. In this disorder, an orbital lipogranulomatosis reaction is caused by the penetration of mineral oils (particularly paraffin) into the tissues surrounding the eye.MethodsIn this report, we discuss six cases of paraffinoma affecting the eye socket following sinus surgery. For previous cases literature review, we obtained articles from searching in the PubMed, Scopus, Scholar Google and, Science of Web databases.ResultsAfter the reporting of 6 paraffinoma cases and literature review, the data related to the disease were categorized into the categories of disease definition, differential diagnosis, clinical manifestation, radiological manifestation, and histopathological diagnosis and treatment methods.ConclusionsParaffinoma is a rare and time-delayed diagnosis after various surgeries and therefore may challenge the physician to make the correct diagnosis at first. It is necessary for ophthalmologists to consider this diagnosis in cases of masses around the eyelid and orbit in patients with a history of sinus and nose surgery in other differential diagnoses.

Performance enhancement for a novel cylindrical system Li‐ion battery with MXene‐based dielectric fluid for immersion cooling

AbstractThis research looks at the impact of dielectric fluids and fluid speeds on cell temperature control in innovative cylindrical lithium‐ion batteries during high‐rate discharges (C‐rate) using the multiscale multidomain battery model. The goal is to improve the battery thermal management system to increase battery performance, longevity, and safety. The present study includes reducing thermal strains, enhancing efficacy, and forestalling overheating risks across various applications in electrified systems. The assessment focuses on four dielectric fluids—ester, mineral, kerosene, and Novec 7200—flowing at 0.01 m/s to gauge their efficiency in managing cell temperatures. Results demonstrate the criticality of effective thermal management in maintaining optimal battery performance and longevity. Ester oil emerges as the most efficient coolant, maintaining cell temperatures at 305.84 K and showcasing a 44% reduction compared with scenarios without coolant. In contrast, kerosene oil, mineral oil, and Novec 7200 yield temperature reductions of 42.86%, 42.51%, and 43.11%, respectively. Furthermore, combining 1% v/v. MXene nanoparticles with ester oil enhance cooling capabilities, with remarkable cell temperature reductions of 50% at 0.01 m/s velocity. Subsequent increments in flow velocity lead to enhanced cooling effects: at 0.05 and 0.1 m/s, reductions reach 51.89% and 52.155%, escalating to 52.58% and 54% at 0.5 and 1.0 m/s, correspondingly.

Investigating the efficiency of mixtures based on supercritical CO2 and lubricants by friction tests under conditions similar to the machining of Ti6Al4V

New supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2)-based cutting fluids combining the cooling from scCO2 and lubrication from various additives are investigated in this study. Selected components, including ionic liquids, vegetable and mineral oils, water, and PEG, were introduced into supercritical CO2, and tribological tests were performed on a CNC lathe to analyze their influence on Ti6Al4V/WC-Co contact. Forces and temperatures were recorded to compare the perfomances of the scCO2-lubricant mixtures for future use in machining. The analysis of the apparent friction coefficient and sticking zone showed a noticeable decrease by ionic liquids when combined with scCO2 at a speed of 100 m/min and 4 mL/min delivery flow rate. The other lubricants (water and PEG vegetable oils) performed similarly to standard mineral oil and are less expensive, which could help in developing future low-cost yet effective cooling and lubrication methods for the machining industry.

The Impact of Russia – Ukraine War on Global Economy

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia contributed to a notable rise in global prices of food and crude oil petroleum. The surge in the global food price index following the invasion was fueled by supply chain disruptions. In general, the incursion resulted in a continuous increase in inflation in both belligerent and non-belligerent nations. The following study shows how economic sanctions and regional conflict lead to an international energy crisis. Despite mediating countries like Turkey, it had a disastrous impact not only on geopolitical stability but also on economic development within and outside of Europe. The study used to assess the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on global trade and business. This paper investigates the global economic growth and consequences of the Russia-Ukraine war over a four month period from December 2021 to March 2022. Russia invaded Ukraine on the 24th of February 2022.

Karakteristik Breakdown Voltage Pada Dielektrik Minyak Mineral dan Minyak Ester Natural

The increasing demand for electrical energy, driven by population growth and industrial development, necessitates efficient and sustainable power distribution systems. Transformers, essential components of these systems, typically use mineral oil for insulation and cooling, despite its environmental drawbacks, such as high carbon emissions and non-biodegradability. In response, natural ester oils have emerged as eco-friendly alternatives. This study aimed to compare the dielectric breakdown voltage characteristics of mineral oil (Diala B) and natural ester oil (FR3) in transformer applications. The testing followed the IEC 60156 standard, focusing on transformers operating at 20 kV, with a minimum breakdown voltage threshold of 30 kV/2.5mm. Both treated and untreated samples were examined.The results indicated that FR3 ester oil exhibited superior dielectric properties, including higher breakdown voltage, flashpoint, and firepoint, as well as lower carbon emissions compared to mineral oil. These findings suggest that natural ester oil has significant potential as a sustainable replacement for mineral oil, particularly in applications where environmental and safety concerns are prioritized.The study recommends further long-term testing under operational conditions to confirm the performance and stability of ester oil in real-world transformer applications. These findings contribute to the growing body of research supporting the transition to more environmentally friendly transformer insulation materials, which could have broad implications for the power industry’s sustainability efforts

Influence of fatty acid composition on contact angle and wear rate of Jatropha curcas and sunflower’s mixture by varying compositions mixture

United Nation Sustainable Development Goals make sustainability become common goals which drives into investments of innovative product and technology focusing on sustainability. Cutting oils are generally made from mineral oil and the renewable replacement is sought after and one of them are Jatropha curcas and sunflower oil or blend of them. Viscosity and adsorption will influence the properties of cutting oil. The study concern on the relationship between percentage of JCO in the mixture to anti-wear properties and contact angle measured using goniometer contact angle and pin-on-disk tribometer by varying percentage of Jatropha curcas oil in mixtures for 2.5 %, 5 %, 10 %, 20 %, and 30 %. Also, molecular simulation is conducted through molecular dynamic in search of dipole moment, electrostatic potential, polarizability and bond energy. The approach is employed to connect molecular interaction and non-linearity trending of experiment. The experiment shows contact angle and wear scar width and also wear rate become higher when percentage of Jatropha curcas oil is higher. The lowest contact angle is 26.9 deg. and the highest is 36.9 deg. of 2.5 % and 30 % Jatropha oil. The highest wear rate is 6.77e-7 and the lowest is 2.74e-7 of 2.5 % and 30 % Jatropha oil. The simulation gives supporting basis in the finding of experiment in which the viscosity is more prominent in governing wear rate than adsorption. Increases of Jatropha curcas percentages have inversely proportional to dipole moment, polarizability, electrostatic potential and bonding which explain why the fatty acids become more adhere to the fatty acid than to surface. The finding is restricted only for idealized conditions both of molecular structure and surface.

Evaporation, spreading, and possible uptake of droplets on sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) leaves using an imaging-based technology.

Sprayed agrochemical droplets have a dynamic evolution on the leaf surface, undergoing changes in shape and volume due to spreading, evaporation, and adsorption. To better understand these processes, an accessible imaging-based experimental methodology is presented to precisely measure droplet spreading, evaporation, and potential uptake by a leaf within a controlled relative humidity environment. Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the effect of hydrocarbon surfactants, accelerators (light mineral oil), and humectants (high fructose corn syrup) on droplet spread, evaporation, and potential uptake when applied to sorghum (Sorghum bicolor 'Tricker') and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) leaves. Experiments on cowpea leaves showed uniform spreading and no change in evaporation compared to the predicted rate. In contrast, on sorghum leaves, results suggest that the volume loss rate exceeds the predicted evaporation rate (up to 23%), indicating a potential uptake by the leaves. Some accelerated dynamics on sorghum can be attributed to the lateral spreading observed on hairy leaves along the veins, increasing the contact area by an average of 65%. However, samples containing light mineral oil, typically considered an accelerant to aid in uptake, demonstrated the highest rate but exhibited minimal spreading. The study demonstrates how droplet composition affects droplet dynamics on waxy and hairy leaves by using an imaging-based methodology to measure evaporation rates, volume loss, contact angle, wetted area, and spreading behavior. The findings highlight some of the complex coupling between the crop protection product composition and droplet life cycle on a leaf. © 2024 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Non-destructive and rapid identification of yeasts by nearinfrared spectroscopy and machine learning

This study aimed to apply near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy combined with machine learning techniques to identify yeast strains rapidly and practically, comparing the results with traditional molecular identification methods. Yeasts were isolated from the digestive tracts of aquatic mining insects collected in the extreme north of the Western Amazon (Roraima), Brazil, and preserved through cryopreservation and mineral oil methods. Molecular identification involved PCR amplification and sequencing of ribosomal DNA regions. NIR spectroscopy, coupled with multivariate analysis and machine learning algorithms such as principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), and soft independent modeling by class analogy (SIMCA), was used to analyze and classify the yeast samples, accurately identified yeast strains at the genus and species levels, achieving 100% accuracy in both the calibration and validation sets. The results indicate that this method provides a rapid, non-destructive, and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional molecular techniques, making it suitable for real-time, in situ analysis with minimal sample manipulation.

Friction in Oil-Lubricated Rolling–Sliding Contacts with Technical and High-Performance Thermoplastics

Thermoplastics show great potential due to their lightweight design, low-noise operation, and cost-effective manufacturing. Oil lubrication allows for their usage in high-power-transmission applications, such as gears. The current design guidelines for thermoplastic gears lack reliable estimates for the coefficient of friction of oil-lubricated rolling–sliding contacts. This work characterizes the friction of elastohydrodynamic rolling–sliding contacts with technical and high-performance thermoplastics with oil lubrication. The influence of polyoxymethylene (POM), polyamide 46 (PA46), polyamide 12 (PA12), and polyetheretherketone (PEEK), as well as mineral oil (MIN), polyalphaolefin (PAO), and water-containing polyalkylene glycol (PAGW), was studied. Experiments were carried out on a ball-on-disk tribometer, considering different loads, speeds, temperatures, and surface roughness. The results show that, for fluid film lubrication, there is very low friction in the superlubricity regime, with a coefficient of friction lower than 0.01. Both sliding and rolling friction account for a significant portion of the total friction, depending on the contact configuration and operating conditions. In the mixed to boundary lubrication regime, the sliding friction depends on the thermoplastic and rises sharply, thus increasing the total friction.

Associations of omega-3 fatty acid subclasses with cardiovascular diseases in 500,000 individuals

Abstract Increased blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids have consistently been shown to be associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). However, large scale placebo-controlled trials of omega-3 supplementation have had discordant results: in 2018 REDUCE-IT reported a 25% risk reduction, whereas in 2020 STRENGTH reported no risk reduction. The two trials had both different placebos (mineral vs corn oil) and omega-3 formulations (EPA vs DHA+EPA). There is not yet a consensus on what explains these results. Here we describe the profiling of omega-3 fatty acid subclasses, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and test their associations with incident CVD in 500,000 individuals from UK Biobank. We utilized 500 MHz NMR spectrometers to analyze total omega-3 and its subclasses in EDTA plasma samples and employed biomarker-specific quantification algorithms to measure their absolute concentrations. In this study, we developed a novel algorithm to quantify EPA, complementing previously described algorithms for omega-3 and DHA. Correlation (r^2) of this novel NMR-based quantification and gas chromatography-based measurements was 0.77 for EPA. On average, DHA comprised 44.5% of the total omega-3 concentration, EPA accounted for 22.2%, and other subclasses constituted 34.3% in the cohort. We computed age and sex adjusted associations of omega-3, DHA, and EPA with 10-year risk of CVD among individuals who were not taking cholesterol lowering medication. We discovered protective associations: for DHA a hazard ratio of 0.85 (0.86-0.89, 95% confidence interval) per standard deviation versus 0.96 (0.95-0.98) for EPA, and 0.95 (0.93-0.97) for total omega-3 (Figure). Since DHA (used in the STRENGTH trial with a null result) has a significantly stronger epidemiological association than EPA, these results from a large-scale observational study do not support the hypothesis that the differential use of DHA and EPA in the REDUCE-IT and STRENGTH trials explains their divergent results.Figure

Assessment of mineral oils, black soap, and essential oils for controlling Dactylopius opuntiae (Cockerell. 1929) (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae)

Assessment of mineral oils, black soap, and essential oils for controlling Dactylopius opuntiae (Cockerell. 1929) (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae)