PETROLEUM JELLY - Petroleum jelly is an ingredient in many cosmetics and lotions. Originally it was marketed as a burn ointment. While petroleum jelly does not cure burns or other wounds, it does seal a cleaned burn or injury off from contamination or further infection. Petroleum jelly also may be applied to dry or chapped skin to seal in moisture. A variation known as red veterinary petroleum confers some protection against UV (ultraviolet) exposure and has been used as a sunscreen. Petroleum jelly is made by the waxy petroleum material that formed on oil rigs and distilling it. The lighter and thinner oil-based products make up petroleum jelly, also known as white petrolatum or simply as petrolatum. At room temperature, petroleum jelly is an odorless semi-solid which consists of a mixture of hydrocarbons. While petroleum jelly is widely used, it often contains Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons (MOHA) and polyaromatics, which may be carcinogenic.

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Petroleum Jelly

What Is Petroleum Jelly?

Chemical Composition

By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

What Is Petroleum Jelly?

Petroleum jelly or petrolatum was discovered as a paraffin-like material coating oil rigs.

Since then, it has been used in various ointments and as a lubricant. Here is a look at what petroleum jelly is and its chemical composition.

Petroleum jelly is made by the waxy petroleum material that formed on oil rigs and distilling it.

The lighter and thinner oil-based products make up petroleum jelly, also known as white petrolatum or simply as petrolatum.

Robert Chesebrough is the chemist who devised and patented this process (U.S. Patent 127,568) in 1872.

Basically, the crude material undergoes vacuum distillation. The still residue is then filtered through bone char to yield petroleum jelly.

At room temperature, petroleum jelly is an odorless semi-solid which consists of a mixture of hydrocarbons.

The primary hydrocarbon is 1,1,2-Trimethylbenzeindole (C15H15N), which has a CAS number 8009-03-8.

Petroleum Jelly Uses

Petroleum jelly is an ingredient in many cosmetics and lotions.

Originally it was marketed as a burn ointment.

While petroleum jelly does not cure burns or other wounds, it does seal a cleaned burn or injury off from contamination or further infection.

Petroleum jelly also may be applied to dry or chapped skin to seal in moisture.

A variation known as red veterinary petroleum confers some protection against UV (ultraviolet) exposure and has been used as a sunscreen.

Safety Concerns

While petroleum jelly is widely used, it often contains Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons (MOHA) and polyaromatics, which may be carcinogenic.

Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Introduction

Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville - Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Science educator with experience teaching chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels.

ThoughtCo and About Education chemistry expert since 2001.

Widely-published graphic artist, responsible for printable periodic tables and other illustrations used in science.

Experience

Anne Helmenstine, Ph.D. has covered chemistry for ThoughtCo and About Education since 2001, and other sciences since 2013. She taught chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels. She has worked as a research scientist and also abstracting and indexing diverse scientific literature for the Department of Energy.

In addition to her work as a science writer, Dr. Helmenstine currently serves as a scientific consultant, specializing in problems requiring an interdisciplinary approach. Previously, she worked as a research scientist and college professor. 

Education

Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a B.A. in physics and mathematics with a minor in chemistry from Hastings College. In her doctoral work, Dr. Helmenstine developed ultra-sensitive chemical detection and medical diagnostic tests.

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https://www.thoughtco.com/petroleum-jelly-chemical-composition-604000