The use of modified vegetable oil from Crambe abyssinica as a lubricant base for the food industry

Abstract Lubricants that are based on vegetable oils and other renewable resources are the subject of many research studies and can be used in various applications, especially in the food industry, which is characterized by the high quality requirements related to the necessity to develop biodegradable lubricants that are environmentally friendly and do not contain harmful components and are safe to use for people. The objective of the described research was to obtain a base oil with a certain viscosity, which is higher than the viscosity of the initial vegetable oil, and certain lubricating properties. The initial oil derived from Crambe abyssinica was subjected to oxidation in the presence of N-hydroxyphthalimide with or without supercritical CO2 as a solvent. As a final result of this study, base oils meeting the viscosity requirements and having high biodegradability were obtained. The Raman spectra of the modified vegetable oils were evaluated and they were used for the initial assessment of the composition and the evaluation of the presence of harmful chemical compounds.