Mineral oil

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 relatively low value, and it is produced in very large quantities. Mineral oil is available in light and heavy grades, and can often be found in drug stores.

Applications

Refined mineral oil is used as transformer oil.
Mineral oil is used to store and transport alkali metals. The oil prevents the metals from reacting with atmospheric moisture.
Personal Care
- Mineral oil is sometimes taken orally as a laxative. It lubricates feces and intestinal mucous membranes, and limits 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.
- Mineral oil with added fragrance is marketed as 'baby oil' in the US and UK.
- Used as an ingredient in baby lotions, cold creams, ointments and other pharmaceuticals and low-grade cosmetics.
- Can also be used on eyelashes to prevent brittleness and/or breaking.
- Used in small quantities (2-3 drops daily) to clean ears. Over a couple of weeks, the mineral oil softens dried or hardened earwax so that a gentle flush of water can remove it.
Excessive does of mineral oil can cause eczematous dermatitis, contact dermatitis, follicultitis, oil acne and melanosis.
Ingestion of mineral oil products will prevent the absorption of Vitamin A
When taken for 2-3 days it can interfere with the absorption of water
Lubrication
Fuel, for things such as oil lamps.
Electric mineral-oil-filled space heaters
Coolant
Low viscosity mineral oil is sold as a preservative for wooden cutting boards and utensils.
A coating of mineral oil protects metal surfaces from moisture and oxidation.
Food-preparation butcher block surfaces are often conditioned periodically with mineral oil.
Light mineral oil is used in textile industries and used as a jute batching oil.
Mineral oil is used to darken soapstone countertops for aesthetic purposes.
It works (albeit poorly) as a release agent for molds, especially in fiberglass casting.
It is used as a release agent for baking pans and trays.
It is sometimes used in the food industry (particularly for candy). Some studies suggest that prolonged use might be unhealthy because of low accumulation levels in organs. It has been discouraged for use in children's foods, though it is still occasionally found in candies in China and Canada.
Used as a cleaner and solvent for inks in fine art printmaking as well as in oil painting, though turpentine is more often used.
It can be used as a solvent for solid samples during Infrared spectroscopy.
Petrobras is mixing mineral oil and vegetable oil to produce a new biodiesel known as H-Bio, which may greatly increase its market value

Also known as

adepsine oil
alboline
baby oil
bayol 55
Cable oil
bayol f
blandlube
blandol white mineral oil
carnea 21
clearteck
crystol 325
crystosol
Diala-X, AX
drakeol
Electrical Insulating Oil
Ervol
filtrawhite
fonoline
frigol
gloria
glymol
Heat-treating oil
hevyteck
Hydraulic oil
hydrocarbon oils
jute batching oil
kaydol
kondremul
kremol
lignite oil
liquid paraffin
Lubricating oil
Master Shimmer
Mineral oil (saturated parrafin oil)
Mineral oil hydrocarbon solvent (petroleum)
mineral oil mist
Mineral oil, aromatic
Mineral oil, paraffinic
Mineral Seal Oil
Molol
neo-cultol
Nujol
oil mist
oil mist, mineral, severely refined
Oil mist, refined mineral
oil, petroleum
paraffin oil (class)
paraffin oil
parol
paroleine
peneteck
penreco
perfecta
petrogalar
petrolatum
petroleum hydrocarbons
petroleum, liquid
primol
primol 355
primol d
protopet
Saxol
tech pet f
triona b
Uvasol
Univolt N60, 80
Voltesso 35
white mineral oil
white oil

Sources

http://www.llnl.gov/es_and_h/hsm/doc_14.07/doc14-07.html Safe handling of Alkali Metals