BEESWAX

Question 1

What is the botanical name of beeswax

Answer 1

Apis mellifera L. Apidae

Question 2

What is the synonym of beeswax

Answer 2

Apis mellifica L. Apidae

Question 3

Apis means

Answer 3

Bee

Question 4

Mellifera

Answer 4

Honey bearing or honey carrying

Question 5

Apis mellifera is the most common of how many species of honey bees world wide

Answer 5

7 to 12 species

Question 6

Common names of Apis mellifera

Answer 6

Yellow beeswax, white beeswax, Cara alba

Question 7

Definition of beeswax

Answer 7

It is obtained by melting and purifying the honey comb of Apis mellifera or Apis mellifera and other species

Question 8

Geographical distribution of beeswax

Answer 8

Jamaica, Africa, Madagascar

Question 9

How is beeswax prepared

Answer 9

How the wax is secreted
Yellow beeswax
Separation of the honey, honey comb is melted with hot water, residual honey dissolves, solid impurities sink, sieved, wax allowed to solidify in moulds

White beeswax
It is prepared from yellow beeswax, bleaching using chlorine, chromic acid, charcoal, potassium permanganate etc, or slow bleaching with sunlight, air and water
For slow bleaching
The melted wax is poured on a revolving cylinder to form ribbon strips which are exposed to sunlight and air. The strips are frequently moistened and turned till the outer surface is bleach

Question 10

Characteristics of beeswax

Answer 10

It is a yellowish brown or yellowish white solid
It breaks with granular fracture
It is insoluble in water, slightly soluble in alcohol but soluble in chloroform and warm oils like turpentine
It has a characteristic odour(honey like odour

Question 11

Chemical constituents of beeswax

Answer 11

Myricyl palmitate(myricin) {C15H31COOC30H61}, 80% making it the major constituent, and a little of
Myricyl stearate
Other constituents are
15% free cerotic acid{C26H53COOH}
Hydrocarbons cholesterol esters

Question 12

Uses of beeswax

Answer 12

POP AND CLC
Plasters, ointments, polishes
Cosmetic creams, Lipsticks, candles

Question 13

Clinical uses of beeswax

Answer 13

Beeswax + vegetable oil
Gives a mixture used to treat skin cracks
Mixture of CCOBT{Camphor, common salt, olive oil, beeswax and tallow is used for ulcer patients and for external tumor

Question 14

Adulterants of beeswax

Answer 14

Paraffin, stearic acid, Japan wax, carnauba wax, ceresin

Question 15

Detection of adulterants

Answer 15

On heating with NaOH, cooling and acidifying, there should be no turbidity
Reason. Beeswax is a true wax and the saponification of the cerotic acid does not form soap unlike the adulterated samples that form water soluble salts on treatment with alkali

The wax is hydrolyzed with alcoholic alkali by heating and cooled by stirring
Reason. It should be cloudy between 59 to 61 degree Celsius and not above 61 degree Celsius