Pongamia oil

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pongamia oil is derived from the seeds of the Millettia pinnata tree, which is
native to tropical and temperate Asia. Millettia pinnata, also known
as Pongamia pinnata or Pongamia glabra, is common throughout Asia and thus
has many different names in different languages, many of which have come to be
used in English to describe the seed oil derived from M. pinnata; Pongamia is
often used as the generic name for the tree and is derived from the genus the
tree was originally placed in.
[!
"ther names for this oil include Karanja oil #in $indi%, Honge
oil #in &annada%, Kanuga oil #in 'elugu% and (ungai oil #in'amil%.
Contents
[hide!
)ultivation
* +escription
, -ses
o ,. 'raditional
o ,.* .iodiesel
/ 0ee also
1 2eferences
Cultivation[edit!
(ods and seeds of Millettia pinnata
Millettia pinnata is native to 0outh and 0outheast Asia. &nown in various
languages as 3ndian beech, (ongam, &aran4a, $onge, &anuga, and 5aktamala,
it is now grown all over the world. 'ypically the plant starts yielding pods from the
fifth year on with the yields increasing each year until it stabili6es around the
tenth year. 0eeds are usually harvested in the spring, each seed weighing from
about . grams #7.7,8 o6% to .9 grams #7.7:, o6%. 'he yield per tree can range
from about 7 kilograms #** lb% to more than 17 kilograms #7 lb% depending on
conditions, with an average of 177;<77 seeds per kilogram. $istorically the
pods are removed from the trees by beating the branches with sticks
and decorticated using mallets or stones. 2esearch is ongoing into mechanical
harvesting methods.
'he basic nutritional components of Millettia pinnata seeds may change
depending the season and maturity of the tree but in general are as follows=
[*!
Component Percentage
Oil 27% - 39%
Protein 17% - 37%
Starch 6% - 7%
Crude fiber 5% - 7%
Moisture 15% - 20%
sh 2% - 3%
Description[edit!
(ongamia oil is e>tracted from the seeds by e>peller pressing, cold pressing,
or solvent e>traction. 'he oil is yellowish;orange to brown in color. 3t is to>ic and
will induce nausea and vomiting if eaten but it is used in many traditional
remedies. (ongamia oil is antiseptic and resistant to pests. 3t has a high content
of triglycerides, and its disagreeable taste and odor are due to bitter flavonoid
constituents including karan4in, pongamol, tannin and karan4achromene.
[*!
Millettia pinnata has a number of different varieties but little research has been
published on the differences between them.
[,!
'his combined with variances in
soil and weather can change the specific composition of (ongamia oil. 'ypically
(ongamia oil is composed of the following fatty acids=
[*![/!
Fatty acid Nomenclature Percentage
Pal!itic C16"0 3#7% $ 7#9%
Stearic C1%"0 2#&% $ %#9%
Oleic C1%"1 &&#5% $ 71#3%
'inoleic C1%"2 10#%% $ 1%#3%
'inolenic C1%"3 2#6%
rachidic C20"0 2#2% $ &#7%
(icosenoic C20"1 9#5% $ 12#&%
)ehenic C22"0 &#2% $ 5#3%
'i*noceric C2&"0 1#1% $ 3#5%
'he physical properties of crude (ongamia oil are as follows=
[/![1!
Property Unit Value
cid +alue !* ,O-.* &#0 - 12
Calorific +alue /cal./* %7&2
Cetane nu!ber &2
0ensit1 *.c!
3
0#92&
2odine +alue *.100 * %6#5 - %7
Sa3onification +alue !* ,O-.* 1%& - 1%7
S3ecific *ra+it1 0#925
4nsa3onifiable !atter % 5.5 2#6 - 2#9
6iscosit1 !!
2
.sec &0#2
)oilin* 3oint 7C 316
Cloud 3oint 7C 3#5
8ire Point 7C 230
8lash 3oint 7C 225
Pour 3oint 7C -3#0
Uses[edit!
Traditional[edit!
3t has been used as lamp oil, in leather tanning, in soap making, and as
a lubricant for thousands of years. 3ts to>icity, as well as its color, bitter taste, and
disagreeable odor, keep it from being used in cooking but it does have uses in
traditional medicine for treating skin disease and liver disease.
[!
2ecent studies have shown some potential for biocidal activity against V.
cholerae and E. coli, as well an anti;inflammatory, antinociceptive #reduction in
sensitivity to painful stimuli% and antipyretic #reduction in fever% properties. 'here
is also research indicating that the oil can be used as a natural insecticide.
[:!
Biodiesel[edit!
?any studies have been done to convert (ongamia oil into biodiesel.
[<![9![8![7!
'he
following table shows the physical properties of the methyl esters of (ongamia oil
versus the E5 /*/ standards=
[/![1!
Property Unit Methyl esters ASTM D67! "N !#$!#
cid +alue !* ,O-.* 0#&6 - 0#5 90#% 90#5
Calorific +alue /cal./* 3700
Cetane :u!ber &1#7 - 56 ;&5 ;51
0ensit1 at 157C *.c!
3
0#%6 - 0#%% 0#%7 - 0#%9 0#%6 - 0#90
6iscosit1 at &07C cSt &#77 1#9 - 6#0 3#5 - 5#0
2odine +alue *.100 * %6#5 - 91 9120
O<idation Stabilit1 at 1107C h 2#2& 6
Sa3onification +alue !* ,O-.* 1%& - 1%7
4nsa3onifiable !atter % 5.5 2#6 - 2#9
)oilin* 3oint 7C 316
Cloud 3oint 7C 19 0.-15
8ire Point 7C 230
8lash 3oint 7C 17& ;130 ;100
Pour 3oint 7C 15
'he comparison of the methyl esters of (ongamia oil to the A0'?
+:<1 standard for biodiesel fuels shows that processed (ongamia oil is within
the standards. Against the European E5 /*/ standards, (ongamia oil does
not meet the storage stability standard; ">idation stability needs to be a
minimum of : hours at 7@), but the stability of processed (ongamia oil is only
*.*/ hours.
[/!
2esearch has shown that 4atropha or pongamia oil can be mi>ed
with palm oil to achieve an improved low;temperature viscosity than pure palm oil
and a higher o>idation stability than pure 4atropha or pongamia oil.
[!
3n addition,
the methyl esters of (ongamia oil have a cloud point of 8@), which is outside
the European standards, and a pour point of 1@) both of which would be
problematic in lower temperature climates.
[/!