Location: Bioproducts Research
Title: Castor (Ricinus communis L.)Author
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McKeon, Thomas |
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Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter Publication Acceptance Date: 1/13/2016 Publication Date: 3/2/2016 Citation: McKeon, T.A. 2016. Castor (Ricinus communis L.). In: McKeon, T.A, Hayes, D.G., Hildebrand, D.F.,Weselake, R.J., editors. Industrial Oil Crops. Waltham, MA: Elsevier Academic Press and Urbana, IL: AOCS Press. p. 75-112. Interpretive Summary: This book chapter summarizes numerous aspects of the castor oil plant, including its noxious components, agronomy and breeding, biotechnology applications and its applications. Castor oil serves as a chemical feedstock for production of high value products including lithium grease, surfactants and nanoemulsifiers, non-toxic plasticizers, cosmetics, and polymers used in fuel lines, cable coverings, valves, and even toothbrushes, all of which are valued replacements for similar products derived from petroleum. The castor plant can achieve oil yields up to 6 to 7 barrels of oil (>1 ton of oil) per acre. In addition to fuel, petroleum is used for chemical production and increased production of castor oil can help to replace petrochemical products with renewable castor oil products that generally have better performance characteristics than those from petroleum, thereby reducing petroleum use. Technical Abstract: The castor plant has been cultivated for thousands of years, providing a useful source of medicine, lamp fuel and lubricant long before petroleum came into wide use. The oil content of castor seed ranges from 45 to 60%, with most cultivars closer to 50% oil content. The presence of the hydroxy fatty acid ricinoleate [(9Z, 12R)-12-hydroxyoctadec-9-enoate] in the oil at a level of 90% imparts unique physical and chemical properties to the oil resulting in its value as a chemical feedstock. This mid-chain hydroxy group results in hydrogen bonding among the triacyglycerols (TAG) that carry the 2 or 3 ricinoleoyl chains. The intermolecular interaction results in viscosity significantly greater than that of other commodity seed oils, giving it superior properties for use in lubricants and greases. The susceptibility of the hydroxyl group to substitution or elimination provides a wide range of derivatives. The chemical interaction of the hydroxy group separated by one methylene from a carbon-carbon double bond supports several cleavage reactions that provide a collection of useful chemicals. Products derived from castor oil have been in use for centuries, long before “biobased” was a buzzword or requirement for meeting sustainable product regulations. |
