Naphthenic acid agents, thickening agent of napalm and oil drying agents used in painting and wood surface treatment. Industrially useful naphthenates include those of aluminium, magnesium, calcium, barium, cobalt, copper, lead, manganese, nickel, vanadium, and zinc. One oft-cited study stated that "naphthenic acids are the most significant environmental contaminants resulting from petroleum extraction from oil sands deposits." However "under worst-case exposure conditions, acute toxicity is unlikely in wild mammals exposed to naphthenic acids in AOS tailings pond water, but repeated exposure may have adverse health effects." Naphthenic acids are present in Athabasca oil sands (AOL) tailings pond water (TPW) at an estimated
Copper naphthenate Copper naphthenate Copper naphthenate is the copper salt of naphthenic acid. Naphthenic acid is a term commonly used in the petroleum industry to collectively refer to all of the carboxylic acids naturally occurring in crude oil. Naphthenic acids are primarily cycloaliphatic carboxylic acids with 10 to 24 or more carbons, although substantial quantities of non-cyclic, aromatic and heteroatom- containing carboxylic acids are also present. Copper naphthenate is most widely used in wood preservation and for protecting other cellulosic materials such as textiles and cordage from damage by decay fungi and insects. Other metal naphthenates are used as paint driers, rubber