Chapter I

The Problem and Its Background

Introduction

In the Philippines, when people are cooking or burning things, they

commonly use LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), paper, corrugated boards, and

plastic which is very harmful to our environment.

The LPG comes from the fuels which are obtained from the ground. This

gas is a non-renewable resource and because of that, people are uncertain how

long this resource will last. The paper and corrugated boards are made from the

trees and in order to make these products, people cut more trees which holds the

soil that help prevents soil erosion, trees that eats up the carbon dioxide and

other harmful substance in the atmosphere , trees which is also necessary in

maintaining the appropriate climate and temperature of the earth. Lastly, burning

plastics are very harmful to our environment because it emits highly toxic

chemicals called dioxins.

People are currently experiencing the climate change which is caused by

global warming resulted from the deforestation and usage of materials that

produces toxic chemicals in the air that traps the heat within the Earth’s

atmosphere. The researcher wants to give solution to this problem. In order to

lessen the use of such materials in cooking or burning things this is harmful to

our environment, the researchers will determine the ability of the oil extracted

from the resin of Canarium ovatum to ignite when set on fire. This study will serve
as an important step in the formulation of the new alternative substance which

can be a substiture to the LPG, paper, corrugated boards and plastics.

Background of the Study

Fossil fuels such as coals, human synthesized fuels through processing

and mixing different chemicals and charcoals are the most popular and used

throughout the history of mankind. However, resources like the fossil fuels are

limited since it cannot replenish itself and even if that has the ability to do so, the

process will take a very long time, a thousand of years at least, for such reason

these fuels continues to increase its price in the world market and through the

long run when the resource is almost depleted, many countries may find not

affordable anymore due to its very high price. Human synthesized fuels and

charcoals, on the other side of the field, pose a great threat not only to our

environment but also to human health, through the gases they emit. The natural

green house effect for example, which keeps our planet warm and make life in

Earth possible, intensifies because of the carbon dioxide concentration in the

atmosphere. This effect triggered by fossil fuels as well.

This research involves studying and finding out the flammability if the

harvested oil from the resin of Canarium ovatum. If the resin oil of researchers

are successful in proving the flammability of the resin oil, their intention is to

make their research a guide to the succeeding studies such as making Canarium

ovatum an alternative for the conventional fuels.

Theoretical framework consists of theories that serve as a guide of

the study and these theories are considered as the backbone of the research and

strengthen its validity.

The theory of combustion was made by Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier in

the year 1772. On that year Lavoisier discovered that the weight of the burned

sulfur and phosphorus is greater than its initial weight due to its combination with

air. Applying the Phlogiston theory that postulates that the materials have

positive and negative weight, Lavoisier concluded that in certain cases, the

phlogiston of a material escapes during the process called combustion. Later, he

concluded that there is fixed air acting upon an object when ignited and he called

this “oxygen”.

This study will determine whether the oil separated from the resin of

Pili tree (Canarium ovatum) is flammable or not. The theory of combustion

explains why a material or a substance ignites which can help the researchers in

explaining the ability of the resin oil to burn when exposed to fire.
Conceptual Framework

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Figure 1.1

In this study, the researchers will determine whether the resin oil is

flammable or not. In the figure 1.1, the independent variable is the amount of

resin oil separated from the resin of the Pili tree. The researchers will distill the

resin through the process called steam distillation. After distillation, the ability of

the resin oil to be flammable and the longevity of the fire will be tested which are

the dependent variables of the research.

In cooking or in burning woods, leaves and garbage, most people use

LPG, paper and plastics which aid the process of burning. LPG is a non-

renewable resource, paper is made from trees which is cut in order to make one

and burning plastic is unhealthy for the environment. This is why the researchers

want to find an alternative material or substance that can reduce the dependence

of the people in LPG, paper and plastic when it comes to cooking or in burning

woods, leaves and garbage.

The present study is designed to determine the capability of the oil

extracted from the resin of Pili tree (Canarium ovatum) to ignite quickly.

Research Questions

1. Does the oil extracted from the resin of Canarium ovatum has the ability to

burn or ignite when exposed to fire?

2. How long the fire last when a 40 ml of resin oil is ignited?

3. How does the elements in extracted oil makes it flammable?

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to determine if the Canarium ovatum resin oil

is flammable and to describe its flammability. The researchers aim to reduce the

burning of plastics and gases as fire igniter, thus, the resin oil will be an

alternative way of fire igniter. LPG is commonly used in houses for cooking,

however, the gas that is inside the tank is non-renewable and the study would
like to contribute a new research that will replace the non-renewable gas into

renewable resin oil.

The researchers also want this study to be a stepping stone for future

researchers studying the same or similar variables.

Significance of the Study

This study aims to determine the capability of the oil extracted from the

resin of the Canarium ovatum, a plant which is usually found in tropical regions,

to ignite when exposed to fire. This study will give its benefits to the following:

Future Researchers. The outcome of this study would be a great material

as a reference for the succeeding researchers for it can be a guide and a proof

that oil extract from the resin of Canarium ovatum is a feasible substitute for

usual gas products the people use.

Government. There are many Pili trees found in the Philippines and this

study gives an idea to the government on how to use the resin found on the Pili

trees that grows in the country. They can use it as another source of funds for the

country by exporting the resin oil which can be used as an alternative gas for

cooking or setting fire.

Industries. This study will give the industries a new idea on how to use

the resin oil. It is commonly used in perfume but no one uses it for the purpose of

cooking or burning things. With this study, their profits will be much greater than

the past.
 Community. The community living near the Pili trees can have a new

business venture using the resin they can get from the Pili trees growing around

them.

Environment. The use of the LPG and other materials for burning things

or cooking such as paper and plastics causes pollution and more trees to be cut.

With the help of this study,

Scope and Limitations

The scope of the study was only to find out the flammability of the resin oil

of Canarium ovatum. Proving if the oil is an effective alternative to the most used

fuels is not covered in the study as well as further other applications of the resin

oil as fuel. Since the intent of the researchers to their study is to make it a

material for future studies that involves similar or the same variables to the

researchers’ study about resin oil of Canarium ovatum, this research only

contains how the oil was harvested from the resin and what methods was used to

test the flammability.

The limitations of the researchers’ study are the effects of Canarium

ovatum resin oil in our environment as well as what class of flammability the resin

oil is in. The research will not cover the study of the resins’ oil inherent effects to

the environment, whether the oil can be major, minor or have no threat at all to

Earths’ environment. The study will not cover these parts. The researchers’ study

does not involve what class the flammability of resin oil is in based on its flash

point.

Definition of Terms
Fossil Fuels – the naturally occurring fuel that was very limited and was

produced thousand years ago.

Human synthesized fuels –fuels that were made by humans through different

process of mixing different chemicals though not limited to that process.

Charcoals are also one of the human synthesized fuels which does not involve

any chemical mixing.

Resin –commonly known as “sap” is the sticky fluid that comes out of that comes

out of Canarium ovatum or the “Pili” when it is injured.

Flammability –is the ability of the resin or the oil distilled from the resin of

Canarium ovatum to burn when exposed to fire.

Conventional fuels –are the fuels commonly and widely used by industries and

other companies such as fossils and human synthesized fuels.

Longevity –is the length of time the resin oil was ignited until it reaches its Upper

Flammability Limit when it cannot sustain the fire any longer.