Mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOHs):
Mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOHs) are complex chemical mixtures. MOHs are generally derived from crude oil. They
mainly consist of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH). MOSH
comprise open-chain, often branched hydrocarbons (commonly named paraffins) and cyclic, saturated hydrocarbons
(commonly named naphthenes). MOAH include mono- or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Naphthenes and MOAH are
generally highly alkylated. Depending on the source of the crude oil and the refining steps, MOAH contents reach up to
35%.
MOSH |
|
MOAH |
Paraffins:
open-chain saturated, often branched hydrocarbons |
Naphthenes:
cyclic, saturated hydrocarbons,generally highly alkylated |
Mono- or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, generally highly alkylated |