Chemical Properties
Heavy white oil
Uses
For routine PCR amplifications. Minimizes evaporation of reactions run in PCR instruments without heated lids.
Potential Exposure
Mineral oil is used in cosmetics,
pharmaceutical bases; food, and fiber production; as
carriers and bases; as a lubricating oil and as a solvent for
inks in the printing industry. Oil mist would be encountered
in quenching of hot metal parts and in metal machining
operations.
First aid
If this chemical gets into the eyes, remove any
contact lenses at once and irrigate immediately for at least
15 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids. Seek
medical attention immediately. If this chemical contacts the
skin, remove contaminated clothing and wash immediately
with soap and water. Seek medical attention immediately.
If this chemical has been inhaled, remove from exposure,
begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions, including
resuscitation mask) if breathing has stopped and CPR
if heart action has stopped. Transfer promptly to a medical
facility.
Incompatibilities
Incompatible with oxidizers (chlorates,
nitrates, peroxides, permanganates, perchlorates, chlorine,
bromine, fluorine, etc.); contact may cause fires or explosions.
Keep away from alkaline materials, strong acids
(especially nitric acid), strong bases.
Waste Disposal
Dissolve or mix the
material with a combustible solvent and burn in a chemical
incinerator equipped with an afterburner and scrubber.
All federal, state, and local environmental regulations
must be observed.
Definition
Mineral oil is a highly refined petroleum mineral oil consisting of a complex combination of hydrocarbons obtained from the intensive treatment of a petroleum fraction with sulfuric acid and oleum, or by hydrogenation, or by a combination of hydrogenation and acid treatment. Additional washing and treating steps may be included in the processing operation. It consists of saturated hydrocarbons having carbon numbers predominantly in the range of C15 through C50.
Indications
Fecal softeners are substances that are not absorbed
from the alimentary canal and act by increasing the
bulk of the feces and softening the stool so that it is easier
to pass. Mineral oil has been in use for many years,
either as the oil or as a white emulsion; it is a mixture of
liquid hydrocarbons. Its use has been criticized for
many reasons. It dissolves the fat-soluble vitamins and
prevents their absorption.
Brand name
Balneol
(Solvay Pharmaceuticals); Neo-Cultol (Fisons); Nujol
(Schering-Plough HealthCare).
General Description
Sigma′s Blue-White Select? Screening Reagent is a chromogenic substrate for β-galactosidase, used to determine the presence or absence of a cloned DNA insert in bacteria growing on agar plates. Blue-White Select? Screening Reagent is designed for blue-white selection of recombinant bacterial colonies with the lac+ phenotype.
Health Hazard
Recommended Personal Protective Equipment: Goggles or face shield; Symptoms Following Exposure: Ingestion of liquid can cause very loose bowel movements; General Treatment for Exposure: EYES: wash with water; Toxicity by Inhalation (Threshold Limit Value): Not pertinent; Short-Term Inhalation Limits: Not pertinent; Toxicity by Ingestion: Grade 1, LD50 = 5 to 15 g/kg; Late Toxicity: None; Vapor (Gas) Irritant Characteristics: None; Liquid or Solid Irritant Characteristics: None; Odor Threshold: Not pertinent.
Flammability and Explosibility
Nonflammable
Chemical Reactivity
Reactivity with Water No reaction; Reactivity with Common Materials: No reaction; Stability During Transport: Stable; Neutralizing Agents for Acids and Caustics: Not pertinent; Polymerization: Not pertinent; Inhibitor of Polymerization: Not pertinent.
Biochem/physiol Actions
Mineral oil functions by forming a depot at the injection site slowly releasing antigen.
Side effects
It is itself absorbed slightly
and appears in the mesenteric lymph nodes, and if it is
inhaled into the lungs (which it may be in elderly or debilitated
patients), it may produce inflammatory responses
such as lipoid pneumonia. Its continual use,
therefore, is contraindicated, although its occasional administration
in otherwise well patients is not harmful. It
is employed primarily in patients who must avoid
straining at stool, including persons with hemorrhoids
and other painful anal lesions. Leakage of mineral oil
past the anal sphincter may lead to soiling of clothing.
Docusate dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (Colace),
Veterinary Drugs and Treatments
Mineral oil is commonly used in horses to treat constipation and
fecal impactions.
It is also employed as a laxative in other species
as well, but used less frequently. Mineral oil has been administered
after ingesting lipid-soluble toxins (e.g., kerosene, metaldehyde) to
retard the absorption of these toxins through its laxative and solubility
properties.
Petrolatum containing products (e.g., Felaxin?, Laxatone?, Kat-
A-Lax?, etc.) may be used in dogs and cats as a laxative or to prevent/
reduce “hair-balls” in cats.
