8 Oleochemistry Products
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presence of textile, personal care and agricultural industries along with low overall production costs and competitive economies should stimulate regional industry
demand. Rising per capita disposable income and stability to purchase personal care
and consumer products should drive regional industry growth. Furthermore, government initiatives such as the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) of
Brazil offer necessary regulations and policies regarding manufacture, supply and
import of the products in domestic and industrial applications, which should stimulate
industry growth.
However, cost competitiveness with respect to conventional surfactants remains
a major restraint.
8.3 Broad-Spectrum Fungicides and Plastic Wrap Film
8.3.1 Introduction
Many natural essential oils (EOs), extracted from plants, have demonstrated a broad
spectrum of activity against insects and plant-pathogenic fungi acting as insecticidal,
repellent, oviposition deterrent and, from a more general point of view, as ‘green
pesticides’. These oils have also a very long tradition of use in the protection of
foods during medium and long-term storage. Different scientific researches [34, 113]
indicated that some chemical constituents of these natural oils can cause, for example,
an interference with the nervous system of insects inhibiting, in different cases,
their reproductive activity. Another important aspect of these oils is related to their
compatibility with mammal’s life, as they are non-toxic. This aspect, combined with
their wide availability and relatively low cost, make them suitable for the application
also in other areas such as, for example, additives for plastics films used for food
packaging defined, in this respect, ‘active packaging’.
Some of the chemicals substances extracted from these essential oils are already
used in the food industry as flavouring agents or fragrances and this should involve
a relatively fast procedure for the registration of this class of ‘green pesticides’
as additives in packaging application such wrap films. At last, in many emerging
countries a great bio-diversity of plants is present that, in perspective, can give place
to a large availability of EOs with very interesting properties for the mentioned
application fields.
The perspective offered by EOs is particularly attractive because, in recent years,
environmental problems caused by wide use of synthetic pesticides have been a
matter of concern for both scientists and public opinion. On a world basis, it has
been estimated that about 2.5 million tons of pesticides are used on crops each year
and the damages caused by pesticides reach around $100 billion annually [113].
The main drawbacks of the traditional pesticides reside in their high toxicity, nonbiodegradable character and in the residues left in the soil and water after the use. A
219
presence of textile, personal care and agricultural industries along with low overall production costs and competitive economies should stimulate regional industry
demand. Rising per capita disposable income and stability to purchase personal care
and consumer products should drive regional industry growth. Furthermore, government initiatives such as the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) of
Brazil offer necessary regulations and policies regarding manufacture, supply and
import of the products in domestic and industrial applications, which should stimulate
industry growth.
However, cost competitiveness with respect to conventional surfactants remains
a major restraint.
8.3 Broad-Spectrum Fungicides and Plastic Wrap Film
8.3.1 Introduction
Many natural essential oils (EOs), extracted from plants, have demonstrated a broad
spectrum of activity against insects and plant-pathogenic fungi acting as insecticidal,
repellent, oviposition deterrent and, from a more general point of view, as ‘green
pesticides’. These oils have also a very long tradition of use in the protection of
foods during medium and long-term storage. Different scientific researches [34, 113]
indicated that some chemical constituents of these natural oils can cause, for example,
an interference with the nervous system of insects inhibiting, in different cases,
their reproductive activity. Another important aspect of these oils is related to their
compatibility with mammal’s life, as they are non-toxic. This aspect, combined with
their wide availability and relatively low cost, make them suitable for the application
also in other areas such as, for example, additives for plastics films used for food
packaging defined, in this respect, ‘active packaging’.
Some of the chemicals substances extracted from these essential oils are already
used in the food industry as flavouring agents or fragrances and this should involve
a relatively fast procedure for the registration of this class of ‘green pesticides’
as additives in packaging application such wrap films. At last, in many emerging
countries a great bio-diversity of plants is present that, in perspective, can give place
to a large availability of EOs with very interesting properties for the mentioned
application fields.
The perspective offered by EOs is particularly attractive because, in recent years,
environmental problems caused by wide use of synthetic pesticides have been a
matter of concern for both scientists and public opinion. On a world basis, it has
been estimated that about 2.5 million tons of pesticides are used on crops each year
and the damages caused by pesticides reach around $100 billion annually [113].
The main drawbacks of the traditional pesticides reside in their high toxicity, nonbiodegradable character and in the residues left in the soil and water after the use. A