vatteniolja

Vatteniolja is a Swedish term that literally means "water oil." It is not a standard term in Swedish dictionaries or in science, and its meaning depends on context. In everyday usage, it may refer loosely to two related concepts: emulsions in which oil is dispersed in water (oil-in-water emulsions), or mixtures where water is dispersed in oil (water-in-oil emulsions). The distinction matters for properties such as emulsifier requirements, stability, and applications.

Oil-in-water emulsions are common in foods (mayonnaise, salad dressings), cosmetics (creams), and some industrial processes. These emulsions require surfactants or emulsifiers to stabilize the oil droplets in the aqueous phase. Water-in-oil emulsions are less common in foods but occur in certain cosmetic products and industrial formulations; they generally feature a continuous oil phase with dispersed water droplets and may feel more lubricious or hydrophobic.

In environmental science, the term may appear in discussions of oil spills and remediation, where water-oil mixtures form as emulsions that affect spreading, biodegradation, and cleanup strategies. In fuel technology and lubrication engineering, water-in-oil emulsions have been studied to improve combustion efficiency or reduce emissions, though stability and phase separations are critical considerations.

Because "vatteniolja" is not a precise technical term, researchers and writers usually specify the intended meaning (oil-in-water or water-in-oil) and provide the relevant parameters such as droplet size, emulsifier, and water content.

See also: emulsion; oil-in-water emulsion; water-in-oil emulsion; oil spill; lubrication.