EXPLORING THE ATTRIBUTES OF THREE SOAPS MADE USING

DIFFERENT PARTS OF AN ORANGE (Citrus sinensis)

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of Requirements in Science III - B,

UP Rural High School, UP Los Baños

ABSTRACT

Laboratory experiments were conducted at BIOTECH-UPLB to explore the attributes of three types of soap made using different parts of oranges. The study focused on determining the pH level and the Vitamin C content of the three soaps, namely, orange flesh soap, orange flesh and peel soap, and orange peel soap. Using an electric pH meter, it was found out that the orange flesh soap, orange flesh and peel soap, and orange peel soap have a pH level of 9.14, 9.17 and 9.25 respectively. It was also found out that the three soaps have a significant Vitamin C content as all three discoloured the blue solution of dicholorophenol-indophenol (DCPIP). Based on the results, it is concluded that the attributes of the three soaps, made using different parts of an orange, are well within the normal/recommended attributes for body soaps. With this, it is recommended to utilize discards or oranges in making the said soaps.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ABSTRACT.........................................................................................................

...1

LIST OF

TABLES..................................................................................................3

INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................

....4

REVIEW OF RELATED

LITERATURE..............................................................6

METHODOLOGY..............................................................................................

....8

RESULTS AND

DISCUSSION.............................................................................10

SUMMARY AND

CONCLUSION........................................................................12

RECOMMENDATIONS.....................................................................................

...13

LITERATURE

CITED...........................................................................................14

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LIST OF TABLES

Table No. TitlePage

No.

1pH Level of the Three Orange

soaps....................................10

2Level of Discoloration Using

DCPIP...................................10

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INTRODUCTION

During the harvest season of oranges, especially the locally-grown sintunis, the surplus

produce usually brings down the price of the oranges. It is also during this time when

discards from oranges, especially the peelings, are usually plenty. These discards are

usually thrown like most vegetable and fruit discards.

The low price of oranges during its harvest season is of course a problem of orange

growers/producers. The discards, especially the peelings, on the other hand are not yet

put into good use despite the fact that orange peelings have a high content of Vitamin C

(Orange Peel).

Now, one way to address the situation mentioned above is to find another use for orange

(aside from food) and to utilize its discards. And these days when the so-called organic

products are gaining notice could just be the right time to do so. It is becoming common

nowadays to see beauty products made from organic products. One can find these

products even in events such as flower shows in UPLB. And usually, organic products

command a decent if not high price in the market.

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It is within this scenario that the problem of low price of orange producers could be

addressed and also the orange discards be put into good use. Along this line, this study

would want to explore the attributes of three soaps made using different parts of oranges.

These three soaps are namely orange flesh soap, orange flesh and peel soap, and orange

peel soap.

As organic beauty products are becoming fashionable and profitable nowadays, exploring

the attributes of the said three soaps may well address the problem facing orange

producers/growers and also open a way to utilize and make beneficial the otherwise

discards of oranges. And as more and more people are getting aware of the benefits of

using products utilizing organic materials, soap production using oranges may address the

important problems/situations facing orange growers/producers. Of course, any

enterprising individual could also try this on his own.

This study will focus primarily on pH testing and Vitamin C content testing. This is

because the pH level of a soap is an indicator of its fitness and safety for human use. On

the other hand, the Vitamin C content testing will tell us if orange soaps are good for the

skin. It is because Vitamin C is a major requirement in having a smooth and healthy skin.

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REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Orange is already known early in human history. It was already used as a well-known

medicine in China and Indo-China during the first century A.D. (Orange Peel).

Nowadays, it is still recognized as an excellent source of Vitamin C (Natural Food-Fruit

Vitamin C Content). And Vitamin C is important in strengthening our immune system

against many ailments. It also helps in forming collagen which is important in making

our skin healthy.

With these, orange is one of the plants with medicinal value that were already utilized in

making organic/herbal soaps. It is even easy nowadays to find resources from the internet

which detail the process of making orange soaps. In the website ehow.com alone, there

are already a variety of soapmaking recipes which utilize orange.

One such article is “How to Make Creamy Orange Body Soap” (Christopher Godwin).

The article claims that this kind of soap is good for “dry, damaged skin that needs

essential mositure”. It adds the opinion that making such soap can also lead to savings as

store-bought products are usually expensive. Another article on the same website entitled

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“How to Make Orange Soap” by Charlotte Johnson also claims that making this soap will

help you avoid harsh and irritating soaps and instead customize a soap that is gentle and

moisturizing.

Now orange soaps are technically under organic product labels. And the significant

notice that organic products is getting nowadays is an indication that there is a good

market for products like orange soaps.

As discussed in “Organic Beauty Products – The Pros and Cons”, the perceived health

benefits in using organic products give reason to people to purchase those products. This

is because of the assumption that “organic ingredients would naturally be healthier for

your skin and body than their chemical counterpart” (Organic Beauty Products – The

Pros and Cons).

Yes, organic wellness products are becoming fashionable and profitable even in the

Philippines. Just a few years ago, an entrepreneur in Los Banos started a line of products

using the lowly rice bran as a base (Cinco, Oil from ‘darak’ joins wellness products). The

given climate then is suitable for the development of products like organic orange soaps.

And though there are already a variety of orange soaps, those are usually produced by

using the essential oils of orange. In this study, orange parts are used directly and not just

the essential oils. And so, this not only saves time but also makes it simple that even

common folks can do the same.

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METHODOLOGY

In order to explore the attributes of the three soaps in this study, the three soaps were

made first using the following method.

Preparing the Oranges

1. Oranges were gathered.

2. Orange peel and flesh were separated.

3. The parts are then cut into smaller pieces (i.e. chopping, blending, etc.).

Making the solution

1. A 1000 mL virgin coconut oil is put in a container.

2. An 800 mL lye solution is added to the oil.

3. Then a 27.35g of the orange part is then added to the mixture (the weight of the cut

orange parts is proportional to the amount of coconut oil and lye solution).

4. Other dermatological substances (i.e. lanolin (5g), tocopherol (4 tabs), etc) are added to

enhance some other soap attributes.

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Note that in all the processes, the mixture/solution is stirred continuously in one direction

to avoid spillage and burns (if on step 2 onwards).

Also, after the last step the soap mixture is poured into soap molds to make soap shapes.

And while the soap mixture was solidifying, samples were taken for the pH level test.

Samples were taken at this stage as it would be during this time when the soap would

have its highest pH level.

After the soap had solidified, samples were taken again from each soap type to test for

Vitamin C content. This was done using the reagent DCPIP. A solution of DCPIP was

prepared by dissolving 1 tablet of the said reagent in a 30mL water inside a beaker. Then

three test tubes were filled with 5ml each of the DCPIP solution. Into each of these test

tubes, 3ml of also of the diluted samples from each soap were mixed. The discoloration

of the blue color of DCPIP would indicate the presence of Vitamin C.

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In measuring the pH level of the three soaps, the following observations were recorded.

Table 1. pH level of the three orange soaps

Soap Type pH level

Orange Flesh Soap 9.14

Orange Flesh and Peel Soap 9.17

Orange Peel Soap 9.27

The recorded results show that the orange flesh soap had a pH level of 9.14. The orange

flesh and peel on the other hand had a pH of 9.17 while the orange peel soap had a pH of

9.27. The results obtained indicate that the pH levels of the three soaps are well within

the normal pH range for soap which is pH 7 – 10 despite the fact that the samples were

taken at the moment when the pH level of the three would probably be at its highest.

The above results showed us that the three soaps are all fit and safe for use as the pH

levels fall within the normal range of pH values for soap which is pH 7-10. From the

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results, it can also be inferred that the orange peelings have higher pH than its flesh. It

can also mean that the orange flesh is more acidic than orange peelings.

In testing the Vitamin C content of the three soaps, a DCPIP solution was used. The

following table shows the results obtained.

Table 2. Level of Discoloration of DCPIP

Soap Type Level of Discoloration

Orange Flesh Soap low

Orange Flesh and Peel Soap moderate

Orange Peel Soap high

From the table, orange peel soap and the orange flesh and peel soap registered a high

level of discoloration than the orange flesh soap. The discoloration of the DCPIP solution

is an indicator that the sample tested contains Vitamin C. The high level of discoloration

when the sample from orange peel was tested shows that orange peels have the highest

content of Vitamin C. From the results, it is clear that utilizing orange parts, especially

the peelings, in making orange soaps is feasible because of its high vitamin C content.

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SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

In exploring the attributes of three soaps made from different parts of oranges, a pH test

and a Vitamin C test was conducted. The pH test was done by taking samples from each

type of soap while still on the process of solidifying. This is to determine the highest

possible pH level of the soaps as it was during that stage when the pH level would

logically be high. Then when the soap had solidified, it was tested for Vitamin C content

using DCPIP as reagent.

In the pH test, it was found out that the orange flesh soap, orange flesh and peel soap, and

the orange peel soap have a pH of 9.14, 9.17 and 9.27 respectively. These results indicate

that the pH values are within the normal range of pH 7 -10. On the other hand, from the

Vitamin C test using DCPIP, it was learned that all the three soaps induced discoloration

of the DCPIP solution. The high level of discoloration was observed in the orange peel

soap followed by the orange flesh and peel soap while the orange flech soap ranked last.

This showed us that orange peelings have higher Vitamin C content than the flesh of the

orange.

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From the said tests, it was learned that the attributes of the three soaps are well within the

normal charateristics of body soaps. It is therefore concluded that orange and its discards

could be utilized in making orange soaps, preferably orange peel soaps. The orange peel

soap is especially recommended as the orange peelings are the common discards of

oranges and since it has a high Vitamin C content.

RECOMMENDATIONS

In conducting the experiments, the method of Vitamin C testing was carried out without a

reference to other substances with known values. This can be remedied by comparing the

results obtained with substances with known values of Vitamin C (like ascorbic acid

tablets).

Also, the experiments were done in a laboratory setting. So the methods used in this

study may not be appropriate for home/cottage industry setting. This can be remedied by

trying the experiments at home.

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LITERATURE CITED

SARIAN, ZACHARIAS. Oil from ‘darak’ joins wellness products. Philippine Daily

Inquirer (April 4, 2010)

Retrieved 2010 from eHow: www.ehow.com

Retrieved 2010 from World Wide Web: http://www.herbalextractsplus.com/

Retrieved 2010 from World Wide Web: http://www.naturalhub.com/

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