Introduction: Could there be risks in using additives?
Engine oil additives are now a staple of the lubrication industry. No jug of engine oil sold in the market does not have additives. Further, the price of oils is directly contingent upon the type and quantities of additives added.
However, engine oil additives are not as simple an affair as you might suppose. The manufacture of chemicals has always been a hazardous enterprise. Additives too have disadvantages of their own. But should you sacrifice your car’s speed over it?
The short answer is no.
The benefits that additives provide are not just limited to you. In helping your cars, engine oil additives make the environment safer than it would have been.
For more context, let’s look at the change that chemical additives brought with them.
Why were additives made? Do Additives Work?
Before the 1930s, engine oil was inefficient. It was classified solely based on viscosity. There was no mention of performance. In fact, oil had to be changed after every 15- 16 hours of driving. However, the automotive industry was progressing. New and sophisticated engines were being developed, and consumers were demanding more.
At that time, the engine oils comprised only a mix of base oils. The status quo first changed in 1932, with pour point depressants’ development and use- the first oil additive. A decade later, the game-changing anti-wear additive Zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP) followed. Over the decades, the use of additives in oil has increased exponentially. More and more new categories of additives are being developed to enhance the oil properties, counter its side effects and add to its growing list of benefits. Now, engine oil needs to be changed just once a year. If you are using synthetic oil, then your oil can last more than two years.
The benefits of additives are hardly exaggerated. Improvements and discoveries have made oil increasing more valuable and necessary. From providing essential lubrication, oils can now:
- Protect engine residue from sticking to the surfaces of the engine and slowing its operation down.
- The engine oil absorbs heat from the parts of the engine it comes in contact with. The oil absorbs the heat and carries it elsewhere, effectively cooling the engine
- Oils form a film over engine parts and contain corrosion-resistant additives. Both of these factors work together to prevent the metallic parts of the engine from rusting
- The coating of oil also absorbs the stress and pressure inside the engine, reducing wear.
- Detergents in the oil keep the engine clean by collecting impurities and matter from the engine’s surfaces and keeping them suspended into the oil till the engine’s filter collects them.
The benefits of using additives are significant to the extent not using additives is not an option. But where ever you look, additives are a type of industrial chemicals. They create pollution and send dark black smoke into the sky. Are they safe for us?
Are additives safe for us?
Chemicals have never had a good reputation.
As a do-it-yourselfer, you will find yourself coming into contact with engine oil. Whether it is stained clothes or black hands, you need to exercise caution.
That said, most engine oils now have very low toxicity levels. Yet increasing exposure to engine oil can irritate the skin, senses, and other parts. Also, risks of exposure differ from person to person. Due to this, you need to be careful when handling engine oil.
Moreover, oil, as fumes, can easily be inhaled when handling it. It is always recommended to wear protective gear when handling oil. After prolonged exposure, you may feel nausea, irritation on the skin, dizziness, or unconsciousness.
Over time, the additives in engine oil start to break down into new compounds from wear. Most of these substances are quickly neutralized and collected by the oil. However, used oil has a higher amount of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), a well-recognized carcinogenic agent. Accidental contact with such a substance increases the likelihood of contracting cancer.
Thus, there is little evidence of oil additives significantly harming us. However, poor disposal of engine oil in landfills and inside drainage makes the problem much more extensive. Not just us but unaware animals can also come in contact with additives quickly. From pets to aquatic life to stray animals whose chance sightings cause us to look, are they in danger?
Can additives harm animals?
Before being released in the market, all engine oils are tested for safe use. Among the tests performed, their toxicity towards animals is noted. Most additives used today in their concentrations are showing very low toxicity when ingested by animals. This information is available with all safety guides given with mineral oils. This does not mean safety yet.
A more significant environmental hazard is aquatic toxicity and bioaccumulation of oil and additive residue in marine organisms. However, such elements are insoluble in water. This reduces the harm they do since substances can easily be extracted by following the manufacturer’s instructions for proper use and disposal.
In fact, performance-enhancing additives, which add to engine oil benefits, are the leading cause of bioaccumulation of oil toxins in marine animals.
Oil spreads. We know this from pictures of oil spills and constant warnings of all the hazards that oil presents. But for a better evaluation, we need to know what research into additives says about their harm.
Are chemical additives safe for the environment: what research shows?
Engine oil on the ground: A potential Hazard?
Oil additives are dangerous to the environment. The production of engine oil additives emits dangerous waste. Making sulfur additives creates a vast quantity of sulfurized wastewater.
In the process of being used in engines, the additives in the oil can form toxic compounds, which pollute the environment.
Further, a large quantity of used engine oil is disposed of by being burned in industrial plants. This is an inefficient disposal system. Not only is brunt oil gone and can never be used again, but if the oil is not burnt correctly, toxic emissions are produced. A principal constituent of oil additives can form sulfur oxides and other sulfur compounds, which are potent pollutants and deplete the earth’s ozone layer faster than carbon dioxide (CO2). This is especially alarming because, despite research, no alternatives for sulfur additives in oil have been found.
In the environment, lubricant emission is the primary source of particulate pollution around us. In this regard, research is being done to reduce emissions and create low ash lubricants and particulate filters that commercial vehicles can use.
Another significant risk that additives present is through illegal dumping. Throwing used oil and containers into drains and landfills remains the most common method of oil disposal today. Since no one can track dumped oil, it is difficult to know the exact scale and concentration of the problem. While governments are taking steps to ensure that oil disposal is easier and more convenient through curbside collection and programs, the problem persists. The actual danger of this looming situation is that land and water, once contaminated by oil and additives, will kill most plants and animals it comes in contact with. There is also the danger of bioaccumulation, wherein toxins can collect inside organisms and indirectly harm us.
However, there are environmental benefits to using the additive. Additives enhance the performance of engine oil. This significantly extends the life of engine oil, leading to less oil being disposed of. The reduction in disposed oil prevents a vast quantity of toxic oil from being disposed of in the landfills. Without additives, the oil disposal could increase by over 20 times.
Many additives play a significant role in preventing dangerous emissions. Additives like detergents actively prevent soot from the engine from being released as particulate. They hold them in the oil till the soot is caught by the oil filter. Additionally, additives like anti-wear and pressure additives are known for saving energy and aiding in the efficient use of fuel. The fuel that is burnt completely produces less harmful contaminants and little smoke.
Further, on a comparative scale oil, additives are significantly less polluting than most known pollution sources.
Is recycled oil better?
When oil needs to be changed, it is not unusable. It is merely dirty. Over the years, processes and technology have been discovered and developed to recycle and clean engine oil. This recycled oil can be used in motor engines again and in transmission fluids, hydraulic fluids, and heavy motor oil.
Recycled oil is cheaper to produce than lube from crude oils. Plus, it offers all the features you would find otherwise. Recycled oils also last as long as other engine oils. In fact, for all intents and purposes, recycled oil is just the same as fresh oil. You can easily use them interchangeably without any repercussions.
However, recycling is just a part of the solution. It is not a widespread practice yet. Thus, people are also looking into alternatives for oil that can bypass the hazards, drive our cars smoother than ever while keeping the world safe.
Environmentally acceptable lubricants
Scientists are looking into making engine lubricants from biotic sources. These oils can be of 3 types, namely, synthetic esters, vegetable oils, and Polyalkylene glycols (PAG)- a form of petroleum synthesized hydrocarbon. From current research, the oil is
- Vegetable oils
They are readily biodegradable and do not bioaccumulate. They also have a low level of toxin emission. In terms of engine performance, vegetable oils have a higher viscosity, flashpoint, and lubricating ability to work better at higher temperatures. They can also withstand extreme pressure and do not react easily to paint, varnishes, and sealing layers that can be present inside the engine.
However, vegetable oils still have significant disadvantages that hold them back. These include an inability to perform well at extremely high and low temperatures. They are also more prone to oxidation- a process that dramatically decreases an oil’s performance. Mineral oil and vegetable oils are not compatible. Thus, if used in an engine that ran on mineral oil previously, problems may arise, and parts like filters may need to be changed often. Vegetable oil also costs more than mineral oils. Many recycling centers may not be able to accept them for recycling.
- Polyalkylene glycols (PAG)
Among bio-lubricants, PAG shows the best performance in terms of high and low-temperature viscosity. The oils are also water-soluble and biodegradable, which means that PAG does not bioaccumulate and decreases its threat to marine life. Additionally, to a great extent. PAG can retain their lubricating properties despite the presence of water. They also offer a satisfactory level of lubrication, viscosity, and protection against corrosion.
However, changing over to PAG-based oil is not easy. PAG is incompatible with mineral oils, paints, seals, and varnishes on engine surfaces. Research has also shown that the water solubility of PAG allows it to sink the water columns and be consumed by fish and other aquatic animals.
- Synthetic Easers
They also show sufficient fluidity across various temperatures alongside benefits like high viscosity, high lubricity, and corrosion protection. They are also biodegradable and are less toxic for aquatic lifeforms. They can be incompatible with certain types of paints and finishes. However, their use is limited due to cost. They are sold at prices more than 2-3 times more than the price of mineral oils.
Conversely, they are highly stable, preventing unnecessary oxidation. This gave them a longer life as lubricants. Their compatibility with mineral oils reduces the cost that comes with changing the type of oil used. They can remove mineral oil deposits easily. This needs you to have your oil filters changed more frequently in the initial period.
The use of environment-friendly lubricants is also a slow trend. Few people are buying it, and fewer still are ready to sell it. Despite that, technology has promise. It is keeping us and our environments safer.
Conclusion
The situation that additives present is complex. Lubricant manufacturers take great care to ensure that additives mixed into their products remain safe to use even after numerous applications. However, whether you’ve always handled oil without protective gear or this is just how things are done around you, additives can never be truly safe.
Manufacturing additives for oil is risky for the environment, and so is not manufacturing them. The hazards of increasing hydrocarbons are enormous, and additives work to keep them under control while environment-friendly alternatives are being developed.