Yield of essential oil from Bursera graveolens wood: Utilization of chips, shavings and sawdust

Abstract

The aim of this research was to determine the yield of essential oil from dry wood of the Palo Santo Forest species Bursera graveolens. The dry wood was obtained from the forest concession area of the Universidad Nacional de Tumbes. Sawdust, shavings, and chips (2x2 cm, 1x1 cm, and 0.5x0.5 cm) were obtained using manual and mechanical tools. The steam dragging method was used to extract the essential oil using the Dual Distiller equipment with a capacity of 20 L. The results determined that of the total of dry wood collected and after its transformation only 66.24% was in optimal conditions for the study, losing 33.76% due to external and internal impurities and the artisan technique used in the transformation. Likewise, the average moisture content was 13.89%. Finally, of the five samples, the highest yield in essential oil was for shavings and sawdust with 13.76 and 14.53 mL/kg, respectively. It is concluded that the greater surface area exposed to the steam of dry Palo Santo wood allows it to carry more essential oil and directly influences the yield.