DEVELOPMENT OF COSMETIC GRADE OIL AND DERIVATIVES FROM VERNONIA GALAMENSIS SEED

THE FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF THE TRIGLYCERIDE OIL OF VERNONIA GALAMENSIS CONTAINS APPROXIMATELY 80% EPOXY ACID KNOWN AS VERNOLIC (CIS-12, 13-EPOXY-CIS-9-OCTADECENOIC) ACID. THE CURRENT SOURCE OF OILSEED IS ZIMBABWE; HOWEVER, AGRONOMIC RESEARCH BY THE USDA/ARS IS DEVELOPING A VARIETY SUITABLE AS AN INDUSTRIAL CROP FOR THE ARID SOUTHWEST USA. MANY INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR THIS EPOXY OIL. THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO IDENTIFY APPLICATIONS FOR VERNONIA OIL WITHIN THE COSMETICS INDUSTRY. THE POLYMERIZATION POTENTIAL OF THE OXIRANE RING AND DOUBLE BONDS ALLOWS FOR DURABLE FILM FORMATION. THE LOW VISCOSITY OF VERNONIA OIL IMPLIES POTENTIAL AS A REACTIVE DILUENT TO REDUCE SOLVENT OIL IN THESE APPLICATIONS HAS THE POTENTIAL OF REDUCING OR ELIMINATING VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOC'S) BOTH AT THE MANUFACTURING SITE AND AT POINT OF APPLICATION. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL DETERMINE THE OIL QUALITY ACCEPTABLE FOR COSMETIC APPLICATIONS, STABILITY, PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF TOXICTY, AND AN INITIAL SCREENING OF APPLICATIONS FOR VERNONIA AND DERIVATIVES IN COSMETIC FORMULATION. THE GOAL IS TO ESTABLISH AN INITIAL HIGH VALUE END USE MARKET IN ORDER TO PROMOTE RAPID US DEVELOPMENT OF THIS UNIQUE AND VALUABLE RENEWABLE RESOURCE.