D-Limonene Orange Oil is a biodegradable solvent occurring in nature as the main component of citrus peel oil. It has a pleasant citrus aroma and is used for many cleaning purposes. D-Limonene is obtained commercially from citrus fruits through two primary methods: centrifugal separation or steam distillation. D-limonene is used in food manufacturing and some medicines, e.g. as a flavouring to mask the bitter taste of alkaloids, and as a fragrant in perfumery, it is also used as botanical insecticide. D-Limonene is increasingly being used as a solvent for cleaning purposes, such as the removal of oil from machine parts, as it is produced from a renewable source (citrus oil, as a by-product of orange juice manufacture). It is used as a paint stripper and is also useful as a fragrant alternative to turpentine. D-Limonene is also used as a solvent in some model airplane glues and as a constituent in some paints.
Limonene is a colourless liquid hydrocarbon classified as a cyclic terpene.
