Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Science of the Orange Peel, Perhaps a fuel?

If you've ever peeled an orange too fast and too close to your face you most likely got a rude introduction to Orange Oil, which is the essential oil of the orange fruit. It is produced by the inner rind of the orange peel and contains an interesting mixture of chemicals. The majority is d-limonene (greater than 90%). This chemical is being used as a toxic-free alternative for killing termites (botanical insecticide) and has been used for some time in perfumes, cosmetics, solvents, stain and adhesive removers and many other cleaners. Limonene is a hydrocarbon, which means it is completely comprised of hydrogen and carbon atoms. The most interesting prospect I believe is it's eligibility as a fuel source. I won't go into the specifics here but if you'd like you can read the report and addendum here.

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