Estudo do potencial econômico das plantas aromáticas do estado do Pará.

Abstract

The search for products of natural origin has been the target of the main research centers, mainly due to the fact that most products of synthetic origin have been indicated as the main aggressors to human health. In the Amazon a varied quantity of aromatic species has been found that can become promising sources of products mainly for the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, perfume and food industries, besides representing an economic alternative for the needy populations. In the research campus of the Emilio Goeldi Museum of Pará (MPEG) a work is being developed that aims to screen the aromatic species that can be promising sources of natural products and to define the best means for a rational exploitation. Several aromatic species were collected in different locations in the interior of the state of Pará. All the material collected was transported to the research campus and dried for a period of 7 days and then distilled in the laboratory where the product obtained was analyzed by chromatography and all the results stored in a database. In addition, distillations were performed in parallel on an industrial scale to develop technology that could be adapted to the regional reality and then passed on to small producers. The present work brings results regarding the place of collection, oil yield per plant, the part used, its chemical composition, the best distillation methods, and data regarding the potential of our aromatic flora (CNPq/MPEG).