Used oil VOCs dangerous?

O

Omahaug

Joined
Jun 3, 2015
Messages
730
Location
New York
Title may be a bit extreme, but I was pondering this while changing the oil the other day, had just driven it on the highway for 20 minutes so everything was cooking, while I was waiting for the oil to finish draining I can smell the scent of hot used oil and I began to wonder if the VOCs from used oil were ever proven to cause cancer. I've grown used to the smell of used oil, admittedly I can't measure the VOCs, just because I smell it doesn't mean there's cancer gas in the air lol.

There's always the warnings about skin contact but does anyone here worry about or take any precautions from the air? I've been doing oil changes for years without ever really thinking about the dangers if any, wonder if anyone puts on a 3M respirator when doing oil changes, also wonder if the life expectancy in the DIY oil change crowd is lower...
 
My general rule is the less exposure to chemicals the better. I wear latex gloves when changing oil but there were times I'd get it on my arms when younger. It's a 2 -3 x time a year deal anyway. Will it cause harm? Who knows. George Burns lived to 100 and he was a smoker.
 
I randomly googled for an oil safety data sheet and the first hit was Delo 100 SAE 40, it clearly states the following (highlighted yellow). If you set it on fire then start huffing smoke, good luck.

Try searching yourself on VOCs and the link with cancer. Thats too much for me to dig for.



1694088163281.png

 
Omahaug said:
Title may be a bit extreme, but I was pondering this while changing the oil the other day, had just driven it on the highway for 20 minutes so everything was cooking, while I was waiting for the oil to finish draining I can smell the scent of hot used oil and I began to wonder if the VOCs from used oil were ever proven to cause cancer. I've grown used to the smell of used oil, admittedly I can't measure the VOCs, just because I smell it doesn't mean there's cancer gas in the air lol.

There's always the warnings about skin contact but does anyone here worry about or take any precautions from the air? I've been doing oil changes for years without ever really thinking about the dangers if any, wonder if anyone puts on a 3M respirator when doing oil changes, also wonder if the life expectancy in the DIY oil change crowd is lower...
Click to expand...
It's contact with heavy metals, too
 
cptbarkey said:
I randomly googled for an oil safety data sheet and the first hit was Delo 100 SAE 40, it clearly states the following (highlighted yellow). If you set it on fire then start huffing smoke, good luck.

Try searching yourself on VOCs and the link with cancer. Thats too much for me to dig for.



View attachment 177283
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The issue that he is mentioning isn't related to virgin oil.

Used oil will have all of the combustion byproducts in it and there isn't an SDS for that.
 
My sister was a very competent chemist.
While she read a lot, she'd be the first to admit she didn't know everything.

On chemical smells she'd say, "If you're smelling it, it's gotten into you."
I endeavor to keep inhaled/smelled foreign matter to a minimum.
I do like the idea of an appropriate respirator.

...and we're not even talking about things we can't smell.
Carbon Larry, Carbon Curley and Carbon Moe.
 
The smell from hot oil is not good. I'd be willing to bet there are carcinogens in the vapors.
 
Omahaug said:
Title may be a bit extreme, but I was pondering this while changing the oil the other day, had just driven it on the highway for 20 minutes so everything was cooking, while I was waiting for the oil to finish draining I can smell the scent of hot used oil and I began to wonder if the VOCs from used oil were ever proven to cause cancer. I've grown used to the smell of used oil, admittedly I can't measure the VOCs, just because I smell it doesn't mean there's cancer gas in the air lol.

There's always the warnings about skin contact but does anyone here worry about or take any precautions from the air? I've been doing oil changes for years without ever really thinking about the dangers if any, wonder if anyone puts on a 3M respirator when doing oil changes, also wonder if the life expectancy in the DIY oil change crowd is lower...
Click to expand...

I'm 63 years old. spent my working life as a diesel mechanic. I never wore gloves, and my skin is still here and I'm not dead yet either,

I figure if any automotive leftover is going to be the cause of my demise, it's either the asbestos or diesel exhaust , not any exposure to used oil. my 2 cents worth
 
If you're that concerned about cancer, you're better off dropping all sugar from your diet and all sugar substitutes. Then start eating food you cooked yourself (no boxed/canned products). Not only is sugar linked to cancer, but it's also linked to heart disease (through the increase of insulin resistance and then finally inflamation).

Your diet is far more important to your health than getting a tiny whif of used engine oil once every X months.
 
Kira said:
My sister was a very competent chemist.
While she read a lot, she'd be the first to admit she didn't know everything.

On chemical smells she'd say, "If you're smelling it, it's gotten into you."
I endeavor to keep inhaled/smelled foreign matter to a minimum.
I do like the idea of an appropriate respirator.

...and we're not even talking about things we can't smell.
Carbon Larry, Carbon Curley and Carbon Moe.
Click to expand...
When I was a chemist years ago, there was another chemist who was quite the character. He was a smoker and whenever he ran USP heavy metals analysis he'd start the hydrogen sulfide gas bubbling through the tubes and go smoke a cigarette. The gas smells like rotten eggs. He'd perform the analysis in a fume hood but the air intake on our HVAC was near enough to the fume hood outlet on the roof so that when the wind blew the right way, it would circulate the smell throughout the offices. The more people complained, the more he seemed to enjoy it. LOL.
 
My opinion is most home mechanics are going to be doing this outdoors on ramps or up on jackstands. If this is the case the hood will be open, and there is adequate ventilation around the mechanic performing the oil change. I dont beleive with proper gloves, and a long sleeve shirt that there would be much of a risk.

On the flipside if you pulled the vehicle in to a garage and had very little ventilation, there may be a buildup of VOCs to breath in.

Also this is why I personally do not recommend anyone using free used motor oil in their chainsaw in place of virgin bar and chain oil. All you have to do is wait till after dark and have a bright spotlight turned on where you are sawing. The amount of oil mist that will be in the air will blow your mind.
 
Omahaug said:
Title may be a bit extreme, but I was pondering this while changing the oil the other day, had just driven it on the highway for 20 minutes so everything was cooking, while I was waiting for the oil to finish draining I can smell the scent of hot used oil and I began to wonder if the VOCs from used oil were ever proven to cause cancer. I've grown used to the smell of used oil, admittedly I can't measure the VOCs, just because I smell it doesn't mean there's cancer gas in the air lol.

There's always the warnings about skin contact but does anyone here worry about or take any precautions from the air? I've been doing oil changes for years without ever really thinking about the dangers if any, wonder if anyone puts on a 3M respirator when doing oil changes, also wonder if the life expectancy in the DIY oil change crowd is lower...
Click to expand...
 
hemioiler said:
If you're that concerned about cancer, you're better off dropping all sugar from your diet and all sugar substitutes. Then start eating food you cooked yourself (no boxed/canned products). Not only is sugar linked to cancer, but it's also linked to heart disease (through the increase of insulin resistance and then finally inflamation).

Your diet is far more important to your health than getting a tiny whif of used engine oil once every X months.
Click to expand...
Exactly right. Used oil is not good to take a bath in, but sporadic minimal exposure followed by through washing is not anything to be alarmed about. If someone was going to be an oil change tech and got the used oil on them every day for years, then it would be a concern. Diet and lifestyle choices are definitely more important.
 
In these days of direct injection, I'd say VOC's are not only dangerous to breathe, but flammable as well. Flash point would be a concern if I had a used oil tank in my storage area. Here's looking at you O'Rielly's, Autozone, Advanced, etc.
 
I have never tested the VP of motor oil but just found this:

Petro Canada | Digital Handbook | Vapor Pressure Of Lubricating Oil

lubricants.petro-canada.com lubricants.petro-canada.com

The VP of the listed lubes are exceedingly small. Think about it, how long would it take an exposed pan of oil to evaporate at room temp? As opposed to some solvent like methanol or toluene? Motor oil VOC's is a non issue in almost every case.
 
Years ago in a scientific american magazine and on a TV documentary, about marine life in the deep dark depths of the ocean.
The researchers were curious what they ate and thrived on. Every once in a while a glob of something escaped from the ocean floor all the fish flew to it, yeah swam, they then wanted to know what the heck it was, test revealed that it was good old crude oil.
That devilish stuff is also known to bubble forth from the ground in various places in the world. I think there is even such a place in California some where. Too much goofiness when it comes to oil. I worry more about some the paint removing metal cutting fluids or coolants I have had to breath in some of the jobs I worked at in the past, than I do VOC's. There were also places I thought I'd like to work at until I entered and smelled the strong smell of Ketone, so many shops where inundated with it. I wonder how those folks force to work in that are now? Oh and those shops were not allowed to exhaust any bad fumes outside, except in summer time when the doors were open it was okay.
 
All good responses, I think now that I'm getting older and the risk for cancer increases with age, I'll just take small sensible steps to minimize exposure to less than what I'm used to lol, like stepping away completely until it's fully drained or not being down wind of it. I've always worn gloves so I'll continue to do that too.

I definitely minimize the hazard mentally by comparing the risk relative to other risky behaviors I don't do, like smoking or drinking or eating unhealthy, also I don't do oil changes frequently, probably once or twice a year, plus anything can happen, some people get lung cancer at 30 without smoking, some people smoke for decades and die at 90, sometimes it's just a crapshoot lol
 
Kira said:
My sister was a very competent chemist.
While she read a lot, she'd be the first to admit she didn't know everything.

On chemical smells she'd say, "If you're smelling it, it's gotten into you."
I endeavor to keep inhaled/smelled foreign matter to a minimum.
I do like the idea of an appropriate respirator.

...and we're not even talking about things we can't smell.
Carbon Larry, Carbon Curley and Carbon Moe.
Click to expand...
She is correct, if you smell something you're actually breathing in tiny molecules of whatever it is you smell. Think of that the next time you smell poop. 😷
 
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