Standards
A major part of ATTIA's mission is implementing national standards that will assure the Australian tea tree industry maintains consistently high quality in its processes and products.
Commercial standards for tea tree oil are currently determined on a company-by-company basis. ATTIA is negotiating with key stakeholders in the industry to regulate specifications and so present a unified voice for development and promotion.
The chemical composition of tea tree oil is determined by ISO4730 and AS 2782-1997 Australian Standard [Oil of Melaleuca, terpinen-4-ol type].
Specification | |
Appearance:(visual) | :Clear mobile liquid |
Colour: (visual) | :Colourless |
Odour: (Olfactory) | :Characteristic |
Relative Density @ 20/20ºoC: (ISO 279) | :0.885 - 0.906 |
Moisture Content: (visual) | :No visible water at 20ºC |
Refractive Index @ 20ºC:(ISO 280) | :1.4750 - 1.4820 |
Optical Rotation @ 20ºC:(ISO 592) | :+5º to +15º |
Miscibility with 85% (v/v) ethanol @ 20ºC:(ISO 875) | :Clear solution with 1 vol. oil and 2 vols. 85% ethanol |
|
|
Components | Minimum-maximum% |
Terpinen-4-ol | Min 30 and max 48 |
| 1–6 |
Sabinene | Traces–3.5 |
| 5–13 |
Limonene | 0.5–1.5 |
| 0.5–8 |
1,8 Cineole | <15 |
| 10–28 |
| 1.5–5 |
| 1.5–8 |
Aromadendrene | Traces–3 |
| Ledene (syn.veridiflorene) | Traces-3 |
| Traces–3 |
Globulol | Traces–1 |
Viridiflorol | Traces-1 |
– Pinene
– Cymene 
– Terpinene
– Cadinene