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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Richard Cryberg <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 24 Apr 2018 12:20:24 +0000
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" Are any atoms found in
 the bees wax molecule found to contain any atoms which are
 not found in the sugar molecule?"

Beeswax is a very complex mixture of chemicals.  The attached link has a table that lists something over 100 different types of hydrocarbons and oxygenated hydrocarbons found in beeswax.  In addition raw beeswax contains pollen and propolis.  So, if you just took raw beeswax and did a chemical analysis to determine if it had any nitrogen in it (which would imply a protein component) you are sure to find some trace of nitrogen.  If you took that raw wax and refined it to get rid of all pollen and propolis you might well get rid of all the nitrogen.  But, that still does not tell you that you have not incorporated carbon from protein into the various chemicals that make up wax.  The only way I can think of to go after a definitive answer to the question of incorporation of protein carbons into the actual wax structure would be via radio labeling experiments.  Running a definitive study of this type would probably have a price tag of close to a quarter million $ by the time you got done.  I do not see the answer as being worth that kind of money.


https://w3.avignon.inra.fr/dspace/bitstream/2174/348/1/AD_2009_B5326_1.pdf

Dick

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