Engine Oil Literature Review

CHAPTER-2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

In context to the idea behind use of discarded/used engine oil, various researches have already been performed that explains the behavior of concrete properties after its doping in concrete mix. Since last 15 years, this concept is in huge trend for finding a solution towards effective disposal and ultimately a worthy usage of used engine oil while on the other hand, finding a substitute of admixtures that are being used in concrete thereby, preserving conventional building materials

Various studies that have done in this background are reviewed as follows.

1. Bilal S. Hamad and Ahmad A. Rteil (2003), concluded that used engine oil acted as a chemical plasticizer by improving the fluidity of concrete

These impurities limit and alter the lubricating properties of oil and hence must be replaced with a new engine oil. At any moment when discarded engine oil escapes from an engine crankcase, it gains enough potential to pollute the environment. After getting disposed-off from an engine it travel long distances and in most of the cases, it makes its way to waterways in the form of runoff. Once this oil reaches waterways, it acts as a toxic material for plants and animals living in water. Disposal or recycling of discarded engine oil into water bodies can severely interrupt water ecology. Firstly, since the hydrocarbons in oil decompose micro-biologically, their presence in water helps in the growth of micro-organisms which results in depleting the oxygen supply to aquatic life. Oxygen depletion process on the other hand results in creating hindrance in reproduction and growth of water organisms. Secondly, disposal of DEO in water bodies result in forming an oily film at the surface, blocking the entry of sunlight to reach aquatic plants which results in cutting down photosynthesis process. Thirdly, discarded engine oil contains noxious compounds which even in its small concentration can disrupt feeding habits of marine animals and finally, discarded engine oil contains components which are toxic to marine life when ingested

In conditions, where it is unreasonably expensive to perform recycling process of discarded engine oil or where the facility of recycling is not available, other uses or means of disposal are permitted provided that, they should be environmentally sound even if they involve loss of resources. As a substantial quantity of discarded engine oil has already being recycled, it helped in alleviation of increasing scarcity of petroleum products. To the extent that discarded engine oil is simply discarded, the industrial waste of world’s most valuable resource is added to the environmental costs due to its improper disposal methods. Besides recycling and disposal in landfilling and accidental or intentional dumping either on land or in water, some portion of discarded engine oil is re-used for other legitimate uses in construction industry such as oiling of concrete