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Claim: The petroleum plant (Jatropha Curcas) can produce high-quality biodiesel fuel when processed, but it’s banned in most countries.
Verdict: Partly True! While several studies reveal that Jatropha Curcas can be extracted as biodiesel fuel, there is no evidence of a ban on the plant, only regulations and restrictions on its invasiveness.
Full Text
Over the years, plants have been used for many things outside of food, from producing rich natural dyes to colouring fabrics and producing medicine.
Thanks to research, we continue to find new and unique uses of plants around us that we overlook.
In a post on Feb. 21, 2025, X user ChiefHerbaist (@HerbalistChief) asserted that a plant called petroleum can produce biodiesel fuel. He added that the plant is banned in most countries.
“This plant is called the petroleum plant.” The seeds contain hydrocarbons, which can be processed to produce high-quality biodiesel fuel that can be used in diesel engines.
The plant is banned in most countries.” the X post read.
Another X user (@Cannover) shared this post, providing the plant’s scientific name and what it is popularly known as to the Yorubas. “That’s Jatropha Curcas. Yorubas call it Lapa Lapa,” he wrote.
As of Tuesday, March 18, 2025, the post had gathered over 545 thousand views, 479 comments, 1,600 reposts, and over 2000 bookmarks.
Given the virality of the post and the engagement it had generated, DUBAWA decided to investigate the assertion.
Verification
We conducted a keyword search on Petroleum Plant to find details about the plant but didn’t find anything related to it. We then used the name “Jatropha Curcas” provided by a user in the claimant’s comment section and found “Jatropha Curcas” is the plant referred to as a Petroleum plant.
What is Jatropha Curcas?
Jatropha curcas is a perennial, monoecious shrub or small tree that belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae. It is commonly known as the physic nut or jatropha.
It is an ornamental, medicinal, and a multipurpose shrub. The leaves are used in traditional medicine against coughs or as antiseptics after birth, while the branches are used as chewing sticks. It is native to Central and South America but has been widely introduced to other tropical and subtropical regions.
Can Jatropha Curcas produce biodiesel fuel?
This study, titled “Biodiesel generated from Jatropha (Jatropha curcas Linn) seeds selected based on various genotypes crossbred,” focused on optimising biodiesel production from Jatropha curcas oil using a sodium hydroxide (NaOH) catalyst. The study found parameters for producing biodiesel from Jatropha curcas oil, an alternative fuel source.
Another study that reviewed the current progress of Jatropha Curcas commoditisation as a biodiesel feedstock revealed that Jatropha Curcas is a low-cost biodiesel feedstock with good fuel properties.
This study’s findings are similar to those of this 2024 study, which reviewed Jatropha curcas oil as a potential feedstock for biodiesel production. The study also suggests that Jatropha curcas fruit shells can be valorised as a valuable material for environmental applications, specifically for removing toxic heavy metals like lead and cadmium from water, offering a sustainable and potentially affordable solution for water treatment.
A Research Gate study revealed that Jatropha biodiesel has comparable properties similar to the Advanced Standards Transforming Market (ASTM) and meets standards for biodiesel.
The study also revealed a relatively high oil yield from Jatropha Curcas seed oil, showing its vast potential for industrial use. Also, the study noted that the high iodine value of Jatropha Curcas could be due to the high content of unsaturated fatty acids, which means the oil may be helpful in oil paint manufacture and as a dietary
Supplement.
Is Jatropha Curcas banned in most countries?
Contrary to the claimant’s assertion, Jatropha curcas cultivation is often encouraged for biofuel production and other non-food uses. It has also been promoted and researched in many parts of the world for various applications.
However, its toxic nature has led to regulations and guidelines in specific contexts to ensure safe and responsible management. Jatropha seeds contain toxic compounds, primarily curcumin, which make them inedible and potentially harmful to humans or livestock if ingested. By seeing that the primary aim of cultivating Jatropha is for non-food purposes like biodiesel production, concerns associated with its toxicity in the food chain are mitigated.
In some parts of Australia (Queensland and the Northern Territory), Jatropha curcas
has been identified as a potential environmental weed, so restrictions and guidelines are in place to manage its spread and prevent it from invading natural ecosystems.
Also, Jatropha curcas has been reported as invasive or potentially invasive in some Pacific Island nations and Southeast Asian countries.
Conclusion
The claim that Jatropha Curcas, when processed, can produce biodiesel fuel is true, as several studies attest, but the plant is not banned in most countries. Available reports only show cautionary warnings and reports of its invasiveness in certain regions/countries.
