Naphthenic acid by a general formula CH O, where "n" indicates the carbon number and "z" specifies a homologous series. The "z" is equal to 0 for saturated, acyclic acids and increases to 2 in monocyclic naphthenic acids, to 4 in bicyclic naphthenic acids, to 6 in tricyclic acids, and to 8 in tetracyclic acids. Salts of naphthenic acids, called naphthenates, are widely used as hydrophobic sources of metal ions in diverse applications.Aluminium salts of naphthenic acid and palmitic acid were combined during World War II to produce napalm. The word "napalm" is derived from the words naphthenic acid and palmitic acid.
Shea nut and butter production in Burkina Faso of rural women who number from 300,000 to 400,000. In the local Dioula language it is known as "Si" [shi]. The fruits are shaped like large plums and have smooth skin with an egg-shaped nut with the kernel that yields the fatty shea butter. The product that is extracted as fat from the kernel of the shea nuts, which has five primary fatty acids namely, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and arachidic; stearic and oleic acids constitute 85–90% of the fatty acids. Though a fat, it is not extracted in a fluid state like other oils, but is processed in the