Bladderpod oil is a seed oil, extracted from the seeds of the ''
Physaria fendleri'' and other species of genus ''
Physaria'', Native to the plains and mesas of southwestern United States, eastward to Kansas and southward into northern Mexico.
Bladderpod oil is rich in lesquerolic acid (C20:1-OH), a rare
hydroxycarboxylic acid. The only commercial source of hydroxycarboxylic acids is
ricinoleic acid (C18:1-OH), found in
castor oil.
Essentially all castor oil production in the U.S. has been eliminated by a combination of economic factors, excessive allergenic reactions of field and processing workers, and toxicity of the seed meal.
The
fatty acid composition of bladderpod oil is:
Other species of bladderpod that yield similar oils include ''
Physaira lindheimeri'', ''
Paysonia densipilia'', ''
Paysonia auriculata
''Paysonia auriculata'', the earleaf bladderpod, is a plant species native to the south-central part of the United States. It is widespread in Oklahoma, with isolated populations in Sumner County (Kansas) and from four counties in Texas ( Upshu ...
'' and ''
Physaria pallida
''Physaria pallida'' (syn. ''Lesquerella pallida'') is a rare species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common name white bladderpod. It is endemic to Texas in the United States, where it is known only from San Augustine Coun ...
''. ''P. fendleri'' is of particular interest because of the yields of 1,500 kg/ha that have been achieved in only a few years of cultivation.
Uses
The
hydroxycarboxylic acids contained in bladderpod oil are an important raw material used in the manufacture of resins, waxes, nylons, plastics, corrosion inhibitors, coatings, lubricating greases and cosmetics.
References
Vegetable oils
Physaria
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