Chemical characterization of tall oil

Abstract

Tall Oil is considered one of the cheapest natural oils in the world, since it is an industrially generated by-product, not dependent on climatic and soil weather, but on the production of cellulose and kraft paper. The yield and composition of Tall Oil can vary, as they are influenced by the quantity of extractives, the quality and species of the wood, and the time of storage before cooking. The objective of this work was to determine the chemical composition, that is, to quantify the fatty acids, resin and unsaponifiable acids (neutral), and the acidity and saponification indexes of the Brazilian CTO sample. And, additionally, compare to the composition of CTO's from different locations in the world. It can be concluded that the composition of the CTO can vary because they are influenced by the quantity of extractives, the quality, age and species of the wood, the storage time before cooking and the soil and climate conditions in which the wood was developed. Studying the chemical composition of the CTO is very important because this study determines the applications of the refined CTO and the performance of the fractionation process, as well as the quantities and qualities of the products obtained.