Gaiacwood oil |

Last updated: 22/08/2025
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(Also known as: Palo santo oil; oil of guaiac; guaiacum sanctum l. gum oil; bulnesia sarmienti extract) |
The following alerts are based on the data in the tables below. An absence of an alert does not imply the substance has no implications for human health, biodiversity or the environment but just that we do not have the data to form a judgement. These hazard alerts do not take account of usage patterns or exposure, thus do not represent risk.
Environmental fate |
Ecotoxicity |
Human health |
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A semi-solid substance extracted from the Palosanto tree that can act as a general insect repellent |
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Mosquitos; Flies; Pollen beetles |
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Class: Magnoliopsida; Order: Zygophyllales; Family: Zygophyllaceae; |
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Not approved |
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Not applicable |
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No UK approval for use as a plant protection agent |
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414) |
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Not approved |
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Not applicable |
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Not applicable |
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Not applicable |
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Yes |
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ATAustria |
BEBelgium |
BGBulgaria |
CYCyprus |
CZCzech Republic |
DEGermany |
DKDenmark |
EEEstonia |
ELGreece |
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ESSpain |
FIFinland |
FRFrance |
HRCroatia |
HUHungary |
IEIreland |
ITItaly |
LTLithuania |
LULuxembourg |
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LVLatvia |
MTMalta |
NLNetherlands |
PLPoland |
PTPortugal |
RORomania |
SESweden |
SISlovenia |
SKSlovakia |
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ISIceland |
NONorway |
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Gaiacwood oil contains isomeric compounds, particularly among its sesquiterpene constituents. One of its major components, guaiol, is known to exhibit isomerism. Guaiol is chiral, existing in enantiomeric forms. The most common form is (-)-guaiol, but other stereoisomers (like epimers) may also occur naturally or be synthesised. |
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No |
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Insecticide; Semiochemical |
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Plant-derived substance; Plant oil |
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Natural; Complex mixture |
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Non-toxic mode of action - repellency via odour |
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An oil from the Palosanto tree (Bulnesia sarmienti) found in Latin America |
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Public health; General insect control |
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Mosquitos; Flies; Pollen beetles |
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8016-23-7 |
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289-632-8 |
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gaiacwood oil |
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FEMA=2534; FLAVIS=16.048 |
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Not applicable |
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Not applicable |
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Not applicable |
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Not applicable |
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It is a yellow to greenish yellow semi-solid mass with a rose-like odour. is primarily composed of guaiol (40-70%), bulnesol, bulnesene, alpha-guaiene, guaioxide and beta-patchoulene. |
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Current |
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Used traditionally for centuries; 2000s, recognised for pest management benefits |
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- Heffner Oil, Argentina
- Nelixia
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Ready-to-use formulations |
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Commercial production of guaiacwood oil begins with the sustainable harvesting of the dense, resin-rich wood, which is then chipped and subjected to steam distillation to extract the essential oil. This method captures key aromatic compounds like guaiol and bulnesol. After distillation, the oil is filtered and tested for purity before being packaged for use. |
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Data for specific plant oils is scarce. However, from publicly available data the carbon footprint of plant oils has been estimated at between 1.0 and 4.0 kg CO₂e per kg of oil. This depends on the plant oil content, agricultural practices and processing methods used. |
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1.27 |
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Low |
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42 |
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source |
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229 |
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139 |
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3.72 X 1004 |
Calculated |
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4.57 |
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High |
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0.965 |
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source |
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130 |
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Highly volatile. If applied directly to plants or soil, drift is a concern & mitigation is advisable |
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As this parameter is not normally measured directly, a surrogate measure is used: ‘Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀’. Where data is available, this can be found in the Fate Indices section below. |
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Soil adsorption and mobility |
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None
Terrestrial ecotoxicology |
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> 5000 |
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Low |
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5.0 |
Daphnia magna |
Moderate |
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21.0 |
Unknown species |
Low |
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HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION |
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> 5000 |
Rat |
Low |
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5000 |
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source Rabbit |
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Carcinogen |
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Endocrine disruptor |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
A0 A = Chromosome aberration (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; B0 B = DNA damage/repair (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; C0 C = Gene mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; D0 D = Genome mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; E3 E = Unspecified genotoxicity type (miscellaneous data source) 3 = Negative |
No data found |
Reproduction / development effects |
Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor |
Neurotoxicant |
No data found |
No data found |
No data found |
Respiratory tract irritant |
Skin irritant |
Skin sensitiser |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
✓Yes, known to cause a problem |
?Possibly, status not identified |
Eye irritant |
Phototoxicant |
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✓Yes, known to cause a problem |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
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No information available |
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Not explosive or oxidising Not compatible with strong oxidising agents IMDG Transport Hazard Class 9 |
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Health: H315, H317 Environment: H400, H410 |
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Not listed (Not listed) |
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UN3082 |
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Packaging group III (minor danger) |
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Store in cool, dry place in tightly sealed containers, protected from heat and light. Shelf life is around 2 years. |
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gaiacwood oil |
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Record last updated: |
22/08/2025 |
Contact: |
aeru@herts.ac.uk |
Please cite as: |
Lewis, K.A., Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D. and Green, A. (2016) An international database for pesticide risk assessments and management. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 22(4), 1050-1064. DOI: 10.1080/10807039.2015.1133242 |