Extraction of D-limonene From Waste Orange Peels

D-Limonene is a compound that can be obtained from the peel of citrus fruits such as oranges, limes, mandarins, etc. D-limonene takes its name from the lemon. it is one of the most common terpenes present in nature. Many health care providers have approved the potential benefits of D-limonene claiming that it can prevent or treat some health conditions such as Bronchitis, Cancer, Diabetes, Gall stones, etc. It is also used in industries to makesanitizing liquids, Fragrances, pesticides, etc. In the present study,D-Limonene is extracted using the peel of oranges, The peel of oranges are boiled in water and the oil extractedis distilled in steam at a temperature less than 100 °C, well below its normal boiling point which is 176°C. The immiscible oil can then be separated from water by simple techniques, This study of extracting D-limonene was made using different solvents such as methanol and distilled water at various temperatures and times of heating which provided us with varied results from which the optimum process was concluded. Thus produced D-Limonene was characterized using Gas chromatography and Mass Spectroscopy.