Fuels & Lubricants Magazine

LUBE CORNER
less harmful components. Widely used alkylbenzene
sulphonates as emulsifiers can be replaced with fatty acid
esters, carboxylates, and others. Base fluid can be mineral
solvent neutral paraffinic type with lowered aromatics,
synthetic or bio based products. As a functional additive
instead of chlorinated paraffin, it can be used hydroxystearic
acid methyl esters, nitrated vegetable oils, phosphorus
compounds as dialkyl dithiophosphates, etc.
Particularly great influence has been made by the
chemicals controlling regulations: Classification, Labelling
& Packaging of chemical substances and mixtures
(CLP Regulation), Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation
of Chemicals (REACH) – the system for
controlling chemicals in Europe, ECHA Candidate List
of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). ECHA
(European Chemical Agency) has released an updated
list of active substances and suppliers (Article 95) under
the Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR), prepared as of
9 January 2018. As specified in Article 95(2), as of 1 September
2015, a biocidal product consisting of, containing
or generating a relevant substance, included in the
Article 95 list, shall not be made available on the market
unless either the substance supplier or the product
supplier is included in this list for the product type(s) to
which the product belongs.
The Biocidal Products Regulation (Regulation (EU)
528/2012) concerns the placing on the market and use
of biocidal products, which are used to protect humans,
animals, materials or articles against harmful organisms,
like pests or bacteria, by the action of the active substances
contained in the biocidal product. Isothiazolines,
formaldehyde releasers, IPBC and boric acid are affected
by changes in legislation. Before 1 June 2015 many
metalworking fluids contained isothiazolinones without
it appearing on the safety data sheet, however, the new
CLP regulation means that they have to be reported.
In 2017, three of the available formaldehyde releasers
(MBM, MBO and HPT) received a new classification as
carcinogenic:
• N, N'-methyleneebismorpholine, also known as
MBM, CAS 5625-90-1
• 3,3'-methylene bis [5-methyloxazolidine], also known
as MBO, CAS 66204-44-2
• A, α', α''-trimethyl-1,3,5-triazine-1,3,5 (2H, 4H, 6H)
-triethanol, also known as HPT, CAS 25254-50-6
these substances, or change your process so that the
product does not need to be used. Companies that have
investigated and come to the conclusion that there are
no other options must, among other things, keep records
of all employees who come into contact with the substances.
For water-miscible metalworking fluids, the trend can
go towards the semi-synthetics i.e. emulsions with low
oil content, with finer oil droplets, with good stability
and sufficient lubricity that are biocide- and boron-free
products. Biocide- and boron-free metalworking fluids
have more or less good resistance to microorganisms
attack. If that is route of replacing biocide we should also
avoid adding biocides “tank side”. Alternative to biocide
application can be installation of stationary or mobile
UV devices for metalworking fluid purification. UV light
destroys microorganisms’ DNA so that it is not able to
multiply, and as the light does not come into contact
with people, the method is safe.
If someone chooses an alternative technology for
biocides, it should also have a different approach to the
microorganism content. The high bacterial peaks that
damage the fluid in the system is cut down, but levels of
bacteria constantly control is necessary.
Generally, selection of a suitable metalworking fluid is
not possible without systematically lifecycle considerations
which include material production phase through
selection of optimal components, application phase as
maintenance and disposal phase with splitting process or
recovery.
Metalworking fluid lifecycle considerations
This new classification will start on December 1, 2018
when the 10th ATP to CLP enters into force. Carcinogenic
substances and products may not be used if it is
technically possible to replace them. If any of the three
substances listed above are in a product you use, you
must try to replace them with another product without
Fuels&Lubricants No. 3 OCTOBER 2018 13