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Not to be confused with Pine nut oil.
For the byproduct of wood pulp production sometimes called pine oil, see tall oil.

Pine oil is an essential oil obtained from a variety of species of pine, particularly Pinus sylvestris. Typically, parts of the trees that are not used for lumber — stumps, etc. — are ground and subjected to steam distillation.[2] As of 1995, synthetic pine oil was the "biggest single turpentine derivative."[3] Synthetic pine oils accounted for 90% of sales as of 2000.[4]

Composition

Pine oil is a higher boiling fraction from turpentine. Both synthetic and natural pine oil consists mainly of α-terpineol, a C10 alcohol (b.p. 214–217 °C).[5][1] The detailed composition of natural pine oil depends on many factors, such as the species of the host plant.[6] Synthetic pine oil is obtained by treating pinene with water in the presence of a catalytic amount of sulfuric acid. This treatment results in hydration of the alkene and rearrangement of the pinene skeleton, yielding terpineols.[4]

Uses

Industrially, pine oil was once used in froth flotation for the separation of mineral from ores.[1] For example, in copper extraction, pine oil is used to condition copper sulfide ores for froth flotation.

It is also used as a lubricant in small and expensive clockwork instruments.

In alternative medicine it is used in aromatherapy and as a scent in bath oils.

Properties as a disinfectant

Pine oil is used as a cleaning product, disinfectant, sanitizer, microbicide (or microbistat), virucide or insecticide.[5] It is an effective herbicide where its action is to modify the waxy cuticle of plants, resulting in desiccation.[7] Pine oil is a disinfectant that is mildly antiseptic.[8] It is effective against Brevibacterium ammoniagenes, the fungi Candida albicans, Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Gram-negative enteric bacteria, household germs, Gram-negative household germs such as those causing salmonellosis, herpes simplex types 1 and 2, influenza type A, influenza virus type A/Brazil, influenza virus type A2/Japan, intestinal bacteria, Klebsiella pneumoniae, odor-causing bacteria, mold, mildew, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella choleraesuis, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella typhosa, Serratia marcescens, Shigella sonnei, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes.[5]

Safety

Pine oil has a relatively low human toxicity level, a low corrosion level and limited persistence; however, it irritates the skin and mucous membranes and has been known to cause breathing problems.[8][9] Large doses may cause central nervous system depression.[1]

See also

  • List of cleaning products
  • Pine-Sol, cleaning product that originally contained pine oil, though it switched to a different active ingredient in 2013 due to the declining availability of pine oil

References

  1. ^ a b c d Merck Index, 11th Edition, 7416. p. 1182
  2. ^ Boyle, Hal (September 12, 1954). "There's Gold in those Pine Stumps". Sarasota Journal. p. 11.
  3. ^ Chapter 1. Production trade and markets. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization. 1995. ISBN 978-9251036846. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  4. ^ a b Gscheidmeier, Manfred; Fleig, Helmut (June 15, 2000). "Turpentines, 16. Pine Oil". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a27_267. ISBN 978-3527306732.
  5. ^ a b c "Reregistration Decision – Pine oil (case 3113)" (PDF). Environmental Protection Agency. October 2006.
  6. ^ Macchioni, F.; Cioni, P. L.; Flamini, G.; Morelli, I.; Maccioni, S.; Ansaldi, M. (2003-03-01). "Chemical Composition of Essential Oils from Needles, Branches and Cones of Pinus pinea, P. halepensis, P. pinaster and P. nigra from Central ltaly". Flavour and Fragrance Journal. 18 (2): 139–143. doi:10.1002/ffj.1178. ISSN 1099-1026.
  7. ^ Coleby-Williams, Jerry (April 9, 2004). "Fact Sheet: Organic Weed Control". Gardening Australia. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Pine Oil". PDRhealth. 2003. Archived from the original on 2007-09-21.
  9. ^ "Pine Oil Poisoning". Medlineplus.gov. Retrieved August 28, 2016.

Further reading

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