Spruce needle oils
Pine needle oils are in a broad sense, a group designation for essential oils derived from shoots, needles or cones of conifers (besides spruce and pine and larch ) by steam distillation are obtained. Spruce needle oil in the narrower sense is obtained from the young shoots and fresh needles of spruce or red spruce with a maximum yield of 0.25%. This spruce needle oil has a density of 0.87 g · cm −3 to 0.89 g · cm −3 . Spruce needle oil is a mixture of substances that contains the following components:
- Bornyl acetate (up to 40% by mass),
- α-pinene ,
- Dipents ,
- Cadinen and
- Camphene .
Spruce needle oil is valued for its bactericidal and neurotonic properties and used medicinally as a bath additive, spray and inhalant. In the cosmetic industry, goods containing spruce needle oil are produced. For room deodorization preparations containing spruce needle oil are atomized.