The Influence of Application and Additives on Ecotoxicity and Biodegradability of Environment-ally Acceptable Ester-based Lubricants

摘要

The main advantages of lubricants based on synthetic esters are their good biodegradability and low toxicity. Most of them are classified as non-water polluting. Also, the lubricants should be stable for a long time, while operating under varying conditions. In the work presented here - part of a research project to improve the ecological and technical properties of these types of lubricant by chemical modification of the base fluids, variation of the type and concentration of additives, and application of new coating technologies for tools with which the lubricants are used - the effects of different operating conditions on toxicity, biodegradability, and chemical characteristics are assessed using biological and chemical methods. Water-extractable toxicity is determined using a modified extraction technique and several bioassays, which allow one to distinguish between the toxic potential of the base fluids and that of the base fluids with additives. Biodegradability is determined using an optimised test system, changes in the chemical composition of the lubricants are quantified, and it is shown how the addition of additives, and the changes in the lubricants during use, affect the ecological characteristics.