French to English translations [PRO] Science - Biology (-tech,-chem,micro-)
French term or phrase:hydrocarbures vrais saturés ou insaturés
This is from a text about enzymatic hydrolysis. The context is as follows:
"L’opération d’hydrolyse met en jeu des microorganismes essentiellement des bactéries aérobies ou anaérobies qui décomposent la matière organique et conduisent à l’émission de produits volatils dans l’atmosphère. Cette réaction produit de très nombreuses espèces organiques (plusieurs centaines), cependant les espèces les plus abondantes, les **hydrocarbures vrais saturés ou insaturés**, sont peu abondantes."
I'm not quite clear what a "true" saturated hydrocarbon would be, if indeed this is the correct EN term.
Explanation: It is quite clear from the context that the source expression means just what it says. You can't really say "true saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbons" in English: it suggests there might be some other kind of hydrocarbons. In fact, the expression "saturés ou insaturés" is somewhat redundant: a hydrocarbon is either saturated or it isn't. The intention, however, is to emphasize that both types occur.
Here is a quote using "true hydrocarbon" in English:
For drycleaning
purposes, a solvent that is a true hydrocarbon should be
chosen: one that is made up of hydrogen and carbon only.
There are awfully many distracting false hits for "true hydrocarbon", such as "true hydrocarbon reserves", which are true reserves of hydrocarbons, not reserves of true hydrocarbons, but this one along with one or two others, is genuine.
Explanation: On dit que l'on a affaire à un alcyne vrai si R ou R' est un hydrogène.
saturés. ALCANES. CYCLANES. ALCENES. CYCLENES. insaturés. ALCYNES ..... Semblable à celle des alcènes, en outre les alcynes vrais sont des acides. ...
pharmtox.free.fr/pharmacie/chimie/Hydrocarbures.htm - 148k
In formula (I), R1 represents a straight-chain or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group carrying 10 to 40 carbon atoms; R2 represents a ... www.wipo.org/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?wo=1994012490 - 39k
wherein R is a divalent, trivalent or tetravalent saturated hydrocarbon radical; ... ##STR17## wherein R and R1 are hydrogen, alkyls or cyclic hydrocarbons ... www.patentstorm.us/patents/5019274-claims.html - 20k
A compound of claim 3 wherein R is a straight saturated hydrocarbon chain ... The straight or branched saturated hydrocarbon chain described herein may also ... www.freepatentsonline.com/4187319.html - 38k
Drmanu49 France Works in field Native speaker of: English, French PRO pts in category: 38
10 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
true hydrocarbons, saturated or unsaturated
Explanation: It is quite clear from the context that the source expression means just what it says. You can't really say "true saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbons" in English: it suggests there might be some other kind of hydrocarbons. In fact, the expression "saturés ou insaturés" is somewhat redundant: a hydrocarbon is either saturated or it isn't. The intention, however, is to emphasize that both types occur.
Here is a quote using "true hydrocarbon" in English:
For drycleaning
purposes, a solvent that is a true hydrocarbon should be
chosen: one that is made up of hydrogen and carbon only.
There are awfully many distracting false hits for "true hydrocarbon", such as "true hydrocarbon reserves", which are true reserves of hydrocarbons, not reserves of true hydrocarbons, but this one along with one or two others, is genuine.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 19 mins (2007-06-09 14:59:27 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
saturated!...
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 12 hrs (2007-06-10 03:26:52 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
and unsaturated... one key too far
----------quote
Without too much chemistry, a true hydrocarbon oil contains carbon, hydrogen (CH3-CH2-CH2- CH2-) and nothing else—a point missed by some major vacuum fluid suppliers.
Hydrocarbons from cracked crude oil inevitably contain sulfur compounds, aromatic ring compounds, plus (non-conjugated) carbon-carbon unsaturation. These components are more reactive and, therefore, undesirable for vacuum fluids. http://www.lesker.com/newweb/fluids/fluids_technicalnotes_1....
About the word order, French says 'hydrocarbures vrais' therefore insisting on 'vrais'...
and many compounds are called hydrocarbons though they are not simply made of carbon and hydrogen...
Research on bacterial strains able to degrade hydrocarbons (in former industrial estates/soils, for instance) is currently very... "active".
Hervé du Verle United Kingdom Specializes in field Native speaker of: French
The translation workplace 
