Abstract
A study was conducted to identity factors contributing to the difficult removal of used motor oil from textile materials by detergency. Infrared spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography of used motor oil showed that the oil was a saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon with molecular weight around 950. X-ray analysis revealed that particulates present in the used motor oil contained S, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Fe, Ni, Cu, and Zn. Used motor oil was distributed throughout the cotton fibers with similar concentration of oil in the lumen, secondary wall, and surface crenulation. Higher relative concentrations of used motor oil were observed in the secondary wall of the fiber than has been reported for human sebum. No oil was found in the interior of polyester fibers although high concentrations of oil were detected in the interfiber spaces and on the fiber surfaces of polyester fibers. Dispersant additives of motor oil are though to enhance penetration into the cotton structure and wicking over the polyester fibers, making the nonpolar used motor oil very difficult to remove by detergency.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kim, I., Chevron, Waxing Creative with Motor Oil, Chem. Eng. 102 (12): 71 (1995).
Sanjay, H.G., A.R. Tarrer, and C. Marks, Iron-Based Catalysts for Coal/Waste Oil Coprocessing, Energy and Fuels 8: 99 (1994).
Powe, W.C., Removal of Fatty Soils from Cotton in Aqueous Detergent Systems, J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 40: 290 (1963).
Kissa, E., Kinetics of Oily Soil Release, Text. Res. J. 41: 760 (1971).
Obendorf, S.K., and J.J. Webb, Detergency Study: Distribution of Natural Soils on Shirt Collars, ——Ibid 57: 557 (1987).
Obendorf, S.K., and N.K. Klemash, Electron Microscopical Analysis of Oily Soil Penetration into Cotton and Polyester/Cotton Fabrics, ——Ibid. 52: 434 (1982).
Obendorf, S.K., Y.M.N. Namasté, and D.J. Durnam, A Microscopical Study of Residual Oily Soil Distribution on Fabrics of Varying Fiber Content, ——Ibid. 53: 375 (1983).
Webb, J.J., and S.K. Obendorf Detergency Study on the Synergism Between Oily and Particulate Soil on Polyester/Cotton Fabric, J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc., 65: 1357 (1988).
Weglinski, S.A., and S.K. Obendorf, Soil Distribution on Fabric After Laundering, Text. Chem. Color., 17 (10): 196 (1985).
Kobayashi, Y., and D.V. Maudsley, Determination of Radioactivity in Biological Materials, in Radiotracer Techniques and Applications, edited by E.A. Evans and M. Muramatsu, Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York, 1977, Vol. 1, p. 85.
Neter, J., M.H. Kutner, C.J. Natchtsheim and W. Wasserman, Applied Linear Statistical Models, 4th edn. Richard D. Irwin Inc. Chicago, 1996, pp. 772.
Colthup, N.B., L.H. Daly, and S.E. Wiberley, Introduction to Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy. Academic Press, New York; 1975, 212 pp.
Chi, Y.S., and S.K. Obendorf, Aging of Oily Soils on Textile Materials: Part I Literature Review, J. Surfact. Deterg. 1: 407 (1998).
Chi, Y.S., and S.K. Obendorf, Aging of Oily Soils on Textile Materials: Part II Chemical Changes upon Oxidation and Interaction of Aged Oils with Textile Fibers, ——Ibid. 1: 371 (1998).
Park, E.K.C., and S.K. Obendorf, Chemical Changes in Unsaturated Oils upon Aging and Subsequent Effects on Soil Removal and Fabric Appearance, J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 71: 17 (1994).
Grindstaff, T.H., H.T. Patterson, and H.R. Billica, Studies of Soiling and Detergency, Part III: Detergency Experiments with Particulate Carbon Soils, ——Ibid. 37: 564 (1967).
Kassenbeck, B., Bilateral Structure of Cotton Fibers as Revealed by Enzymatic Degradation, ——Ibid. 40: 330 (1970).
Webb, J.J., and S.K. Obendorf, Detergency Study: Comparison of the Distribution of Natural Residual Soils After Laundering with a Variety of Detergent Products, ——Ibid. 57: 640 (1987).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Chi, YS., Obendorf, S.K. Detergency of used motor oil from cotton and polyester fabrics. J Surfact Deterg 2, 1–11 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11743-999-0059-6
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11743-999-0059-6