Copaiba Balsam

#### Copaiba Balsam. **Copaiba Balsam**, also known as **Copahu Balsam **is one of the most "natural" (unprocessed) of all the natural perfume materials. It is used in perfumes exactly as it comes out of the tree, exactly as it occurs in nature. It is not a balsam according to the definitions given in Part One of this book (see **Balsam**). **Copaiba Balsam **is a natural oleoresin which occurs as a physiological product in various **Copaifera**** **species. These are large trees which grow wild in the northeastern and central South America. The chief producer is Brazil, and smaller amounts come from Venezuela, British Guiana, Surinam and Colombia. The oleoresin flows abundantly from large cavities in the trunks of these trees when holes are drilled for collection of the copaiba "balsam". **Copaiba "Balsam" **is a more or less viscous, brownish-yellow or grayish-greenish yellow liquid which dries to a hard and brittle resin upon exposure to air. The oleoresin is not always clear or translucent, but may be hazy due to its water content or to the continuous resinification of the essential oil part of the oleoresin, a process which starts already inside the trunk. The odor of the oleoresin is very faint, mild-woody, slightly spicy- peppery and modestly tenacious. The flavor is bitter and irritant. Since copaiba "balsam" is mainly used for its fixative properties, it is reasonable that the "balsams" with a low content of essential oil are preferred for this purpose ("Maracaibo balsam"). These copaibas contain about 30 to 50% of essential oil. "Balsams" with high (60 to 80%) content of essential oil are used for the distillation of essential oil (see following monograph). The resin which is left when the essential oil has been removed is odorless, and has no perfumery value beyond that of a fixative. Its high acid number is a drawback. **Copaiba**** ****"Balsam"**** **blends well with cinnamic alcohol, styrax, amyris oil, coumarin, lavandin oil, cedarwood oils, ionones and methylionones. nitromusks, and numerous other common perfumery materials. It is often used as a fixative in low-cost violet and wood perfumes, for lavender or fougères in detergent perfumes, industrial perfumes, etc. The "balsam" is also used in the adulteration or "reproduction" of essential oils, and in the "cutting" of guaiacwood oil, amyris oil, patchouli oil, etc. (see also **Gurjun**** ****Balsam).**** **Copaiba "balsam" is produced in quantities of 50 to 90 tons annually, and it is one of the most inexpensive natural fixatives.