Mineral Oil Characteristics

Mineral oil is a byproduct of the refining of crude oil into usable products, such as motor oil and gasoline. The term "mineral oil" can be applied to a number of individual liquid hydrocarbons, such as paraffinic, asphaltic (naphthenic), unsaturated, and aromatic, but can also be used to describe a single substance that is made of a mixture of some or all of them. This is often the case with mineral oil-based products that are used for external therapeutic use, such as petroleum jelly.

Composition and Structure

• All mineral oils are hydrocarbons, which means they are compounds comprised of hydrogen and carbon. Structurally, however, the four main mineral oil classifications--paraffinic, asphaltic, unsaturated, and aromatic--are, for the most part, quite different. According to Cornell University, the atoms that comprise paraffinic oils form chains, which can branch out from one another, or remain straight. In contrast, the atoms of asphaltic, unsaturated, and aromatic oils all form rings. However, unsaturated and aromatic oils are different from asphaltic (and paraffinic) oils in that they both feature at least one double bond between carbon atoms in their structures.

Reactivity

• Reactivity refers to the degree with which a substance is prone to react with another substance. When it comes to mineral oils, reactivity varies greatly between the different types. According to Cornell University, both paraffinic and asphaltic oils are extremely inert, or nonreactive. It is for that reason that they are the most abundant mineral oils found today. Oppositely, unsaturated and aromatic oils are more reactive and thus much more rare. Over millions of years, while parrafinic and asphaltic oils remained--for the most part--stagnant, unsaturated and aromatic oils were busy oxidizing and undergoing other chemical processes. By combining with other substances to form new ones, they essentially "reacted" themselves out of existence.

External Contact

• Mineral oil can be quite volatile to the human skin. While jellies and other external products made from mineral oils are advertised as having beneficial and protective qualities, this is not always the case. According to the Organic Consumers Association, mineral oils have been known to increase the skin's photosensitivity, making it more prone to sun damage. The oil also tends to interfere with the body's natural process for keeping the skin moist, which cause chapping and dryness.

Inhalation and Ingestion

• The impact of mineral oil on the human body is considerably more severe when it is internalized. According to Mallinckrodt Baker, inhaling vapors of the oils can disrupt your respiratory track, causing shortness of breath, coughing, and, potentially, pneumonia. Ingesting mineral oil can result in nausea, vomiting, severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, and pneumonia as well. You should seek medical attention immediately if you accidentally inhale/ingest mineral oil.