Water Hyacinth Oil

There are seven species of Water Hyacinth which comprise the genus Eichhornia. Water hyacinth is a free-floating perennial aquatic plant native to tropical South America. With broad, thick, glossy, ovate leaves, water hyacinth may rise above the surface of the water as much as 1 meter in height. The leaves are 1020 cm across, and float above the water surface. They have long, spongy and bulbous stalks. The feathery, freely hanging roots are purple-black. An erect stalk supports a single spike of 8-15 conspicuously attractive flowers, mostly lavender to pink in color with six petals. When not in bloom, water hyacinth may be mistaken for frog's-bit (Limnobium spongia).

One of the fastest growing plants known, water hyacinth reproduces primarily by way of runners or stolons, which eventually form daughter plants. It also produces large quantities of seeds, and these are viable up to thirty years. The common water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a vigorous grower known to double its population in two weeks. Water Hyacinth oil contains both phenethyl alcohol and benzyl alcohol. These substances are found in many essential oils and have a variety of uses. Phenethyl alcohol, or 2-phenylethanol, is the organic compound with the formula C6 H5 CH2 CH2 OH. This colorless liquid occurs widely in nature, being found in a variety of essential oils, including rose, carnation, hyacinth, Aleppo pine, orange blossom, ylang-ylang, geranium, neroli, and champaca. It is slightly soluble in water (2 mL/100 mL H2O), but miscible with ethanol and ether. File:Phenethyl alcohol.png Phenethyl alcohol is an alcohol with a pleasant floral odor. It is therefore a common ingredient in flavors and perfumery, particularly when the smell of rose is desired. It is used as an additive in cigarettes. It is also used as a preservative in soaps due to its stability in basic conditions. In biology it is of interest due to its antimicrobial properties. Benzyl alcohol is produced naturally by many plants and is commonly found in fruits and teas. It is also found in a variety of essential oils including jasmine, hyacinth, and ylang-ylang. File:Benzyl-alcohol-2D-skeletal.png Like most alcohols, it reacts with carboxylic acids to form esters. In organic synthesis, benzyl esters are popular protecting groups because they can be removed by mild hydrogenolysis. Benzyl alcohol is used as a general solvent for inks, paints, lacquers, and epoxy resin coatings. It is also a precursor to a variety of esters, used in the soap, perfume, and flavor industries. It is often added to intravenous medication solutions as a preservative due to its bacteriostatic and anti-pruritic properties. It is also used as a photographic developer.