Even though castor oil is inedible, it has long been ail article of commerce. This is, in large measure, due to the versatility of the oil. This article discusses the extraction of castor oil and its refining methods and reviews the industrial applications of the oil. Since castor oil is not edible, it could be substituted in many industrial application areas where edible oils are used. An awareness of the various uses of the oil can be used to make a strong case for ail increase in its production as a vital raw material for the chemical industries. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.