Hierarchy of management that covers different levels of management
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Beeswax
1. Prepared By:
Jahanvi P. Tankaria
B.Pharma. Sem 3
Akshar Preet Institute of Pharmacy, Jamnagar.
Guide by: Mrs. Pooja Khanpara
Beeswax
2. Synonyms:
๏ Yellow wax, Cera alba.
๏ White wax obtained is known as
cera flava.
๏ Obtained from the honey comb of the bees Apis mellifera
and other species of Apis belonging to the family Apidae,
order Hymenptera.
.
๏ It is produced in France, Italy, West Africa, India.
Biological Source:
Geographical source:
3. Preparation:
1) The combs and capping of honeycomb are broken and
boiled in soft water.
2) These are then enclosed in a porous bag weighed to
keep under water, the boiling causes oozing of the
wax, which get collected outside the bag and form a
cake after cooling.
3) The debris on outer surface is removed by scraping.
4) The process is repeated several times and finally wax
is skimmed off.
4. Description:
๏ Colour : Yellow to yellowish-brown
๏ Odour : Agreeable and honey-like
๏ Non crystalline solid.
๏ Soft to touch and crumbles under pressure of
fingers to plastic mass.
๏ Under molten condition, it can be given any desired
shape.
๏ It breaks with a granular fracture.
๏ Insoluble in water
๏ Soluble in hot alcohol, ether, chloroform, carbon
tetrachloride, fixed and volatile oils.
Extra features:
Solubility:
5. Standards:
๏ M.P. : 62 to 65ยฐc
๏ Specific gravity : 0.958 to 0.967
๏ Acid value : 5 to 10
๏ Saponification value : 90 to 103
๏ Ester value : 80 to 95
๏ It consists of esters of straight chain monohydric
alcohols with straight chain acids.
๏ Constituent is myricin i.e. myricyl palmitate 80%, free
cerotic acid 15%, melissic acid and aromatic cerolein.
๏ Indian bees wax contains low acid value and
European bees wax has acid value of 17-22.
Chemical constituents:
7. Uses:
๏ In preparation of ointments, plasters and polishes.
๏ Also used in the manufacturing of candles, moulds in
dental and electronic industries, cosmetics for lip-
sticks, face cream.
๏ Is an ingredient of paraffin ointment.
๏ Adulterated with colophony, hard paraffin stearic acid,
Japan wax, spermaceti, carnauba wax.
๏ Adulteration can be detected on the basis of solubility
and melting point.
Adulteration: