Behenic acid is a normal carboxylic acid

Carboxylic acid

Carboxylic acids are organic acids characterized by the presence of at least one carboxyl group. The general formula of a carboxylic acid is R-COOH, where R is some monovalent functional group...

, the saturated fatty acid

Fatty acid

In chemistry, especially biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with a long unbranched aliphatic tail , which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have a chain of an even number of carbon atoms, from 4 to 28. Fatty acids are usually derived from...

 with formula C₂₁H₄₃COOH. In appearance, it consists of white to cream color crystals or powder with a melting point of 80°C and boiling point of 306°C.

Sources

At 9%, it is a major component of Ben oil

Ben oil

Ben oil is pressed from the seeds of the Moringa oleifera, known variously as the horseradish tree, ben oil tree, or drumstick tree. The oil is characterized by an unusually long shelf life and a mild, but pleasant taste. The name of the oil is derived from the high quantity of behenic acid. The...

 (or behen oil), which is extracted from the seeds of the Ben-oil tree (Moringa oleifera)

Moringa oleifera

Moringa oleifera, the word Moringa probably came from dravidian language Tamil and commonly referred to as "Shojne" in Bengali, "Munagakaya" in Telugu,"Shenano" in Rajasthani,...

. It is so named from the Persian

Persian language

Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...

 month

Iranian calendar

The Iranian calendars or sometimes called Persian calendars are a succession of calendars invented or used for over two millennia in Greater Iran...

 Bahman

Bahman

Bahman may refer to:* Bahman, the Zoroastrian Amesha Spenta* Bahman, the 11th month of the year in Zoroastrian & Iranian calendars, named after the Zoroastrian concept* Kai Bahman, a mythological king of Iran...

, when the roots of this tree were harvested.

Behenic acid is also present in some other oils and oil-bearing plants, including rapeseed

Rapeseed

Rapeseed , also known as rape, oilseed rape, rapa, rappi, rapaseed is a bright yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae...

 (canola

Canola

Canola refers to a cultivar of either Rapeseed or Field Mustard . Its seeds are used to produce edible oil suitable for consumption by humans and livestock. The oil is also suitable for use as biodiesel.Originally, Canola was bred naturally from rapeseed in Canada by Keith Downey and Baldur R...

) and peanut oil

Peanut oil

Peanut oil is an organic material oil derived from peanuts, noted to have the aroma and taste of its parent legume....

 and skins. It is estimated that one ton of peanut skins contains 13 pounds (5.9 kg) of behenic acid.

Properties

As a dietary oil, behenic acid is poorly absorbed. In spite of its low bioavailability compared with oleic acid

Oleic acid

Oleic acid is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid found in various animal and vegetable fats. It has the formula CH37CH=CH7COOH. It is an odorless, colourless oil, although commercial samples may be yellowish. The trans isomer of oleic acid is called elaidic acid...

, behenic acid is a cholesterol

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a complex isoprenoid. Specifically, it is a waxy steroid of fat that is produced in the liver or intestines. It is used to produce hormones and cell membranes and is transported in the blood plasma of all mammals. It is an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes...

-raising saturated fatty acid in humans.

Uses

Commercially, behenic acid is often used to give hair conditioner

Hair conditioner

Hair conditioner is a hair care product that alters the texture and appearance of hair.-History:For centuries, natural oils have been used to condition human hair. These natural products are still used today, including essential oils such as tea tree oil and carrier oils such as jojoba oil...

s and moisturizer

Moisturizer

Moisturizers or emollients are complex mixtures of chemical agents specially designed to make the external layers of the skin softer and more pliable, by increasing its hydration by reducing evaporation. Naturally occurring skin lipids and sterols as well as artificial or natural oils,...

s their smoothing properties. Also used in lubricating oils, as solvent evaporation retarder in paint removers. Amide as anti-foam in the manufacturing of detergent

Detergent

A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning properties in dilute solutions." In common usage, "detergent" refers to alkylbenzenesulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water...

s, in floor polishes

Polishing

Polishing is the process of creating a smooth and shiny surface by rubbing it or using a chemical action, leaving a surface with a significant specular reflection In some materials polishing is also able to reduce diffuse reflection to...

 and dripless candle

Candle

A candle is a solid block or cylinder of wax with an embedded wick, which is lit to provide light, and sometimes heat.Today, most candles are made from paraffin. Candles can also be made from beeswax, soy, other plant waxes, and tallow...

s. Reduction of behenic acid yields behenyl alcohol.

Pracaxi oil (from the seeds of Pentaclethra macroloba

Pentaclethra

Pentaclethra is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the sub family Mimosoideae. Some genus members occur in the Cental American region; for example P. macroloba is the dominant tree in certain seasonal swamp forests in coastal areas of the Isthmian-Atlantic...

) is a natural product with one of the highest concentrations of behenic acid, and is used in hair conditioners.