Metla Project 3321
Harmful impacts of biodegradable oils on forest machines and environment
Duration: 2001-2003
Keywords: biodegradability, forest machines, forest soil, health, hydraulic systems, machine operators, mineral oil, operation costs, synthetic ester, tree plants
Objectives
The aim of the study is to find out the effects of biodegradable oils and synthetic esters on forest machines and forest environment. Questionnaires, interviews and technical experiments will be carried out to investigate the problems in hydraulic systems and the effects of oils on health and economics of machine operators. Tree plants and seeding experiments will be established to observe the toxicity of different oils and esters. In addition, micro-organisms and Nematoda populations of oil-polluted soil will be investigated. Chemical analyses and carbon determination tests will be needed to measure the biodegradability of oils and the amount of heavy metals in soil. New methods for chemical oil analyses will be developed. The results will produce new knowledge of today's oils on forest environment and the use of oils in forest machines. The results will give important expertise for the decision making of forestry work and machine contractors as well as for the forest certification criteria.
Results
Research results of the project are following: - Many machine contractors had not found any technical or health problems related to biodegradable oils. At worst a contractor had suffered economic loss of over 25 000 euros. Both biodegradable and mineral oils had caused some harm to health.
- Both of the oils were also harmful to plants when they got 3.2 kg of oil per square metre. Because of the oil, the height and dry mass of Scots pine plants decreased and 16.7 percent of pine plants and 1.5 percent of white birch plants died. The oils were also harmful for the germination of Scots pine seeds.
- The biodegradable hydraulic oils degraded in the soil quicker than mineral hydraulic oils. The used oils degraded quicker than the fresh ones.
- The fresh biodegradable hydraulic oils did not cause weight loss of gaskets during three months.
Project leader:
Kinnunen, Kaarlo
The Finnish Forest Research Institute,
Parkano Research Unit,
Kaironiementie 54, 39700 Parkano
Phone: +358 10 211 4049 Telefax: +358 10 211 4001
E-mail: kaarlo.kinnunen@metla.fi
Other researchers:
Lauhanen, Risto (2001)
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Updated 30.12.2006
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