Folks,

The 13th ed of the Merck Index (a compendium of some 10,000 chemicals)
lists paraffin oil and mineral oil as synonyms. We are speaking of the
same thing.

> I think we're talking about the same thing. U.S "mineral oil" is
> colorless, sold in drugstores and is used as a laxative. I am a
> little more confused now because Wikipedia claims that "paraffin oil"
> is what is called "kerosene" in the U.S., a fuel oil. Any chemists out
> there?
>
> John
>
> At 03:42 AM 8/21/2007, you wrote:
>>>Is that what we call mineral oil in the US?
>>>
>>>John
>>>Lancaster, PA
>>>
>>>At 10:22 PM 8/19/2007, you wrote:
>>>
>>>>I would recommend paraffin oil. It is scentless, inert and won't
>>>>break down. It is also colorless and can be washed-off with soap (or
>>>>detergent) & water.
>>
>>I don't know. Most oils have at least a trace of color, usually
>>brownish or yellowish. Paraffin has none... no matter how large a
>>volume you're looking through, it's as colorless as water... perhaps
>>moreso.
>>--
>>Andrew Grebneff
>>Dunedin
>>New Zealand
>>Fossil preparator
>><[log in to unmask]>
>>Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut
>


Regards,
Charlie
.................................................
Research Associate - Section of Mollusks
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Assistant Professor - Family Medicine
Fellow-American Academy of Family Practice
Fellow-Academy of Wilderness Medicine

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