"The Feasibility of Used Cooking Oil as an Additive Component in Making an Alternative Floor Polish"

Abstract

This research project is aimed at producing a floor polish that is inexpensive and whose sources are indigenous and abundant.

The study aims to produce a low-priced, high-quality floor polish by using used cooking oil as a major component. The following floor polish compositions were used: 50 percent paraffin wax, 50 percent kerosene and 0 percent oil; 40 percent paraffin wax, 50 percent kerosene and 10 percent oil; 35 percent paraffin wax, 35 percent kerosene and 30 percent oil. The shine, texture, odor, adhesiveness were tested and compared.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Background of the Study
At the present time, floor polishes have been a common material used for cleaning purposes and beautification not only in our households but also in some other places where parties and events are held. Floor polishes are made from different types of waxes and oils.
Cooking oil presents a major part in food preparation in our households.It is also used substantially in fast food chains and outlets where it is primarily used in different stages of cooking. Normally, most of the used cooking oils in our homes and fast food chains are just discarded and thrown away. This waste oil can pollute the environment and clog canals and sewerage systems.

Statement of the Problem:
This project tries to find out the feasibility of adding used cooking oil in the production of floor polishes. This study aims to produce a low-priced but high quality floor polish by using used cooking oil as an additive component and lessening the use of expensive petroleum distillates.
This study aims to answer the following queries:
1. What would be the percentage composition of the floor polish?
2. Does this study reached its aim?
3.What are the kinds of tests conducted to verify the results which indicate that it is a good product?
4.Are the results comparable to the commercial floor polish in terms of the following:

• intensity of shine
• water-proofing ability
• odor and toxicity
• texture
• adhesiveness

Hypotheses:
It is feasible to make alternative floor polishes with the addition of used cooking oil. The alternative floor polishes are comparable to the commercial ones in terms of:

• intensity of shine
• water-proofing ability
• odor and toxicity
• texture
• adhesiveness

Significance of the Study
The world now offers more ways of utilizing common things and ideas in order for us to create products easier and cheaper. This study contributes a lot for the reason that making alternatives instead of using expensive products helps us in our daily budget and consumption. Besides, finding an alternative way to utilize used cooking oil may greatly affect us in saving our environment in the sense that discarded used cooking oil can result into clogging of canals and pollution if not recycled in essential ways. This study also provides knowledge to the researcher and to the community in the proper ways of disposing waste products which can improve the human condition and the status of our local community.

Scope and Limitations
Upon conducting the research study, limitations within the project are cited and these are the following:

1. The researcher only provide the most basic and inexpensive materials in the production of floor polishes and are also available in the surroundings.
2. Upon testing the qualities of the alternative floor polish compared the commercial one, the researcher included the following parameters.

• intensity of shine
• water-proofing ability
• odor and toxicity
• texture
• adhesiveness

3. The researcher only stick into the idea of producing an alternative floor polish and using
used cooking oil as an additive component and as a replacement of other expensive
materials and components.
4. In the production of floor polishes, the researcher chose to produce a paste-lie solid texture
of the floor polish.
5. The kinds of used cooking oil may vary and are considered by the researcher.

Definition of Terms:

• Cooking oil - is purified fat of plant or animal origin which is liquid at room temperature.
• Hydrocarbon - is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon.
  
• Paraffin wax - a white, waxy substance consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons, distilled from petroleum.
• Petroleum - is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid found in rock formations in the Earth consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons.
• Wax - any of a group of substances composed of hydrocarbons, alcohols, fatty acids, and esters that are solid at ordinary temperatures.

Chapter II : Review of Related Literature
Waxes is a general term used to refer to the mixture of long-chain apolar lipids forming a protective coating on plant leaves and fruits but also in animals, algae, fungi and bacteria. Some waxes are of origin.

The various materials named waxes do not form a chemically homogeneous group. All waxes are water-resistant materials made up of various substances including hydrocarbons (normal or branched alkanes and alkenes), ketones, diketones , primary and secondary alcohols, aldehydes, sterol esters, alkanoic acids, terpenes (squalene) and monoesters (wax esters), all with long or very long carbon chains (from 12 up to about 38 carbon atoms) and solid in a large range of temperature (fusion point between 60 and 100°C).
More commonly, waxes are esters of an alcohol other than glycerol and a long chain acid (wax esters). Wax esters are saponified by hot alkaline solutions and give a fatty acid and an alcohol. They are soluble in aromatic solvents, chloroform, ethers, esters and ketones.
www.lipidlibrary.co.uk/Lipids/waxes/index.htm

Cooking oil is purified fat of plant origin, which is liquid at room temperature. Vegetable oils are also used for cooking.

The generic term "vegetable oil" when used to label a cooking oil product refers to a blend of a variety of oils often based on palm, corn, soybean or sunflower oils.

Oil can be flavored by immersing aromatic food stuffs such as fresh herbs, peppers, garlic and so forth in the oil for a period of time. However, care must be taken when storing flavored oils to prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum (the bacteria that produces toxins that can lead to botulism).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking oil

Paraffin wax (or simply "paraffin", but see alternative name for kerosene, above) is mostly found as a white, odorless, tasteless, waxy solid, with a typical melting point between about 47 °C to 64 °C ( 116.6°F to 147.2°F), and having a density of around 0.9 g/cm³.^[2] It is insoluble in water, but soluble in ether, benzene, and certain esters. Paraffin is unaffected by most common chemical reagents, but burns readily.

Paraffin wax (C₂₅H₅₂) is an excellent material to store heat, having a specific heat capacity of 2.14–2.9 J g^–1 K^–1 (joule per gram per kelvin) and a heat of fusion of 200–220 J g^–1.^[6] The branched properties result in a modified paraffin with a higher viscosity, smaller crystalline structure, and modified functional properties.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraffin

Kerosene, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. Kerosene is a thin, clear liquid formed from hydrocarbons, with density of 0.78-0.81g/cm³. Kerosene is obtained from the fractional distillation of petroleum between 150 °C and 275 °C, resulting in a mixture of carbon chains containing 12 to 15 carbon atoms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerosene

Chapter III: Methodology



First, materials should be gathered by the researcher; 150 g of paraffin wax, 150 ml of kerosene, 70 ml of used cooking oil, beakers, graduated cylinder, mortar and pestle, beam balance, pan, burner, stirring rod, molder, dry rag.


A. Preparation of the floor polish.
Alternative floor wax A:
50 grams of wax will be weighed using the balance beam and will be crushed using a mortar and pestle for easier melting.Then, 50 ml of kerosene will be measured using the graduated cylinder.After which, the researcher melted the wax on the pan and burner then, carefully mixing it with the measured kerosene to avoid combustion.The researcher placed the mixture in a molder and then let it cool down for several minutes until a paste-like texture is achieved.Then, it will be labeled product A.
Alternative floor wax B and C:
The same procedure is done to the other samples and on the following replicates with their respective mixtures and composition. Alternative floor wax B; 40 grams of wax, 50 ml kerosene, 10 ml used cooking oil. Alternative floor wax C; 35 grams of wax, 35 ml of kerosene and 30 ml used cooking oil.

B. Testing
The samples will be gathered and using a dry rag, each product will be applied unto two different types of floors: wooden and cement floors, buffing will then be done afterward. There will be three replicates in every trial and there will be two trials. The effect on the two floors will then be examined, observed and compared to the commercial floor polish.

C.Observation

D. Analysis of the Data
Each of the two types of floors received four treatments, first treatment is the alternative floor wax labeled sample A; second is labeled sample B; third is with the product labeled sample C; and then finally, with the commercial floor wax.From the treatments done in the two trials, results were obtained and observation were made to determine significant differences on their effects of the two types of floors.

Chapter IV: Results and Discussion

In this chapter, the researcher will try to show the results and observation of the experiment conducted in a tabulation form.

Table 1.1 Characteristics of the products compared to the commercial one.

Composition of Alternative Floor Polish	Type of Floor Cement Floor	Type of Floor Wooden Floor	Commercial Floor Polish	Cement and wooden Floor
A. 50 g wax, 50 ml kerosene, 0 ml used cooking oil	1.Smells like commercial floor wax 2.Shiny 3.Water-proof 4.Dry 5.Does not stay long on the floor	1.Smells like commercial floor wax 2.Shiny 3.Water-proof 4.Dry 5.Does not stay long on the floor		1. Smells like gas 2.Really shiny 3.Water-proof 4.Paste-like 5.Long lasting
B. 40 g wax, 50 ml kerosene, 10 ml used cooking oil	1. Stronger smell than sample A & B. 2.Shinier 3.Water- proof 4. moist, paste-like 5.stays longer	1. Stronger smell than sample A & B. 2.Shiny 3.Water- proof 4. moist, paste-like 5.stays longer
C. 35 g wax, 35 ml kerosene, 30 ml used cooking oil	1. Has the strongest smell 2.Less shiny 3.Less water-proof 4.Wet, almost liquid 5.slowest to dry	1. Has the strongest smell 2.No shine 3.Less water-proof 4.Wet, almost liquid 5. Does not stick on wood.

The table shows facts about the alternative and commercial floor polishes and also the observation of the researcher himself. In the set-up, the researcher had prepared three different samples with different mixtures. The products were then applied on two types of floors, the cement and the wooden floor. After conducting the experiment, the results are compared to the control variable which is the commercial floor polish according to their characteristics. The observation were noted and are listed in the table 1.1. After the observation, two of the samples really needs improvement.

Chapter V: Conclusion and Recommendation

Conclusion
It was concluded that adding used cooking oil in the production of alternative floor polish did not make any significant difference or great impact on the effects of the samples when applied on floors. The addition of used cooking oil only increased the moisture of the samples and a little increase on it's intensity of shine. Indeed, it lowered the costs of the production of the floor polishes. Furthermore, sample B can be comparable to the commercial one and is more effective than the other samples.

Recommendation
The researcher recommends further research on the project especially on the right amounts of kerosene, oils and it's other composition to achieve a better mixture and produce a better product.

Acknowledgments

I would like to heartily thank our research teacher Ma'am Balve Granido for the support and supervision and everyone who helped me in this project.

Bibliography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerosene
www.lipidlibrary.co.uk/Lipids/waxes/index.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking oil
http://investigatoryprojectexample.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraffin