Lemon oil is almost entirely composed of monoterpenes which are hydrocarbons (the primary one being limonene) and as such the lemon oil, and citrus oils in general, are very good non-polar organic solvents. What this means is that they are excellent at dissolving other non-polar organic molecules (like dissolves like). Monoterpenes are not just good at dissolving petrochemicals, they dissolve MANY organic chemicals from many different sources. Citrus oils in general are just very good organic solvents. This is why things like lemon oil are used in furniture/wood cleaners and polishes, orange oils in mechanic shop cleaners (Fast Orange) and limonene in things like Goo Gone etc. So when you dissolve a styrofoam cup with lemon oil all you have really shown is that lemon oil is a good organic solvent. No surprise here, its not really something to promote, seriously. I mean, if you take gasoline and put in a styrofoam cup it will do the same thing, but you dont recommend taking gasoline internally, at least I hope you dont LOL. So to use the fact that lemon oil will dissolve a styrofoam cup to somehow demonstrate that lemon oil is good inside your body is not really the best use of a demonstration, and in fact, I would argue that it could be interpreted negatively. I mean lets face it, these hydrocarbon solvents are not only good at dissolving petrochemicals they will also dissolve mucous membranes in the body, this is why you dont want to get the oils in your eyes for example. This is also why they have a drying effect on the skin, they dissolve body oils (which is one of many reasons why its better to use a carrier oil with EOs on the skin). To say that lemon oil just targets the petrochemicals in your body and doesnt dissolve anything else is just plain silliness.
Posted on: Wed, 25 Jun 2014 18:12:53 +0000
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