glossary

african palm:
oil palm native to western Africa (Elaeis guineensis)

biodiversity:
it is the notion that encompasses the wide variety of living beings on earth and the natural life forms resulting from thousands of million of years of evolution

biofuel:
fuel produced from the decomposition or treatment of organic matter

biotechnology:
biology - based technology that is applied especially to agriculture, pharmaceutics, food science, forestry science and medicine.

cake:
by-product made from fibers and stones remaining after the oil extraction process

castor oil plant:
or Ricinus communis, is a plant whose seeds contain approximately 40-50% oil. Oil, in turn, contains 70 to 77% of the triglicerydes formed from ricinoleic acid. Differently from its seeds, the plant is not toxic.

co-enzymes:
small organic molecules essential for the activity of some enzymes, with which they bind. Coenzymes are not irreversibly altered by the reactions in which they are involved, and are mainly derived from vitamins. Each type of coenzyme has its own specific biochemical function.

deforestation:
the process that leads to the disappearance of woods or forest areas, caused mainly by human actions.

enzyme:
substance of a protein nature that catalyze chemical reactions made possible by suitable thermodynamic conditions.

environmental impact:
it is the effect produced by a given human action on the environment and its specific features.

fossil fuels:
organic compounds that are extracted from underground soil to produce energy through their burning (e.g. coal, oil, natural gas).

green house effect:
phenomenon due to the ability of some atmospheric gases to trap a portion of the sun energy that is reflected back to space after reaching the Earth’s surface.

greenhouse effect gases:
also called “green house gases”, these gases, by virtue of their presence into the atmosphere, contribute to causing the greenhouse effect. Water vapour, carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and ozone (O3) are the main green house gases found in the Earth’s atmosphere.

hydrogenated castor oil:
it is a hard and brittle vegetable wax produced by means of hydrogenation (a chemical reaction involving hydrogen) of pure castor oil taking place in the presence of a catalyst. It is odourless and water-insoluble.

jatropha:
Jatropha curcas is a plant belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family originating in Central America. Its seeds contain a non edible oil used mainly as fuel. It is highly drought-resistant and it thrives on a mere 250 to 600 mm of rain a year.

Kyoto Protocol:
International agreement aimed at reducing the emissions of gases that cause global warming.

marginal land:
land that yields a poor return and thus not fully exploitable for intensive farming.

microalgae:
mono- or multiple-cell organisms whose cells work independently of each other, carrying out all vital functions. Microalgae normally feed through the process of photosynthesis.

oil crop:
plant producing oil to be used as a high quality raw material for the oils industry, animal feeding and to produce non-edible substances like fuels.

stakeholder:
any person or body, group, organization, affected by the activities of a given organization.

strategic alliance:
a formal permanent or temporary relationship between parties that join forces to pursue a common goal or accomplish a specific project.

sustainability:
notion that implies the commitment to fulfill the demands of present generations in a manner that does not compromise the ability of future generations to fulfill theirs.

type 1castor oil:
oil used for industrial applications such as biodiesel preparation

vegetable oil:
organic compound obtained from the seeds or from the tissues of plant parts where it builds up and is stored as a source of energy. Some vegetable oils are not suitable for human consumption.

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