A challenging study on compatibility or incompatibility of vegetable-based lubricant with human health

Abstract

Abstract More than 70% of industrial lubricant waste releases into nature after a period of utilization without any filtration stage. Knowing environmental concerns and increasing regulations over pollution, the request to use risk-free lubricant is irrefutable. One of these lubricants is vegetable-based cutting fluid (VBCF), which has recently attracted attention. The present work has tried to study the compatibility or incompatibility of VBCF with human health and provide a method for eliminating or reducing their potential risks. To achieve this goal, a study on one of the most known, destructive, and accessible microbes (Pseudomonas) in the workshop environment was performed. The results showed that Pseudomonas could multiply in solid and liquid mediums, and its colonies could quickly propagate in VBCF. Therefore, as a significant achievement in this study, unreinforced VBCF is not a suitable selection from a health point of view. Although these cutting fluids are introduced as a compatible lubricant with humans and the environment, bacteria and mold can multiply swiftly without apparent alterations. It was also observed that using nanoparticles like copper-oxide with a specific volume fraction (0.4%) could fight with the biofilm of Pseudomonas to destroy the colonies at the initial time of their formation. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images and Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis also studied the machinability attributes. The machining tests indicated that the nanofluid also greatly impacts the control of tool wear mechanisms and surface quality in A286 superalloy machining.