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SYNONYM SYNONYM Yellow Beeswax, Cera-flava

BIOLOGICAL SOURCE Bees wax is purified wax obtained from the honey comb of the bees Apis Mellifica and other species of Apis , belonging to family Apidae

GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE It is processed and commercially prepared in France ,Italy , west Africa ; Jamica and India.

PROCESSING AND PREAPERATION The comb and capping of honeycomb are broken and boiled.. These are then enclosed in a porous bag weighted to keep under water. The boiling cause oozing of the wax, which get collected outside the bag and cake after cooling . .

The debris on outer surface is removed by scraping Beeswax is purified by heating in boiling water or dilute sulphuric acid and Settling. The process is repeated several time and finally wax is skimmed off. Various techniques are adopted to bleach wax, such as treatment with hydrogen peroxide, chromic acid, ozone, etc. India exported 45 tones of beeswax worth RS 62 lacs during 1996-1997

DESCRIPTION Colour - yellow to yellowish-brown Odour - agreeable and honey-like

SOLUBLITY Insoluble-water Soluble-alcohol, ether chorofome , carbon- tetrachloride fixed oils

STANDARDS Z Melting point:62-65 Specific gravity: 0.958-0.967 Acid value:0.5-10 Sap. value: 90-103 Ester value:80-95

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENT Ester of straight chain monohydric alcohol with straight chain acid. Myricil.[80%] Free Cerotic acid.[15%] Melissic acid and aromatic substance Cerolein are the other constituents.

Myricin [myricyl palmitate]

CHEMICAL TEST Saponification claud test : Boil 0.5 gm of bees wax with 20 ml of aqueous caustic soda solution for 10 min. cool it. No turbidity is produced.

USES Bees wax used in preparation of ointments, plaster and polishes. It is used in ointment for hardening purposes. Manufacture of candles, Moulds and in dental and electronic industries.

It is also used in cosmetics for preparation of lip-stick and face creams. Pharmaceutically, it is an ingredient of paraffin ointment IP

Present By: Vrushali Patil Guided By: Dr. Abubakar Salam Bawazir