PROTECTIVE - COATING LIPIDS

BIOLOGICAL
WAXES
What is Biological wax?
• Biological waxes are protective-coating lipids
formed through the esterification of a longchain fatty acid to a long-chain alcohol
• Biological waxes are monoesters, unlike fats
and oils, which are triesters.
• The fatty acids found in biological waxes
generally are saturated and contain 14-36
carbon atoms
• The alcohols found in biological waxes may be
saturated or unsaturated and may contain from
16-30 carbon atoms
The term "wax" derives from
the old English word "weax"
which means "the material of
the honeycomb".
Structure
• A biological wax has a structure with a small,
weakly polar "head" and two long, nonpolar
"tails." The polarity of the small "head" is not
sufficient to impart any degree of water
solubility to the molecule.
• Note that the general structural formula for a
biological wax is the same as that for a simple
ester
• However, for waxes both R and R' must be
long carbon chains (usually 20-30 carbon
atoms).
Structure
THE BLOCK DIAGRAM FOR A BIOLOGICAL WAX IS:
WITH THE FATTY ACID AND ALCOHOL LINKED THROUGH AN ESTER
LINKAGE.
AN ACTUAL STRUCTURAL FORMULA FOR A BIOLOGICAL WAX THAT
BEES SECRETE AND USE A STRUCTURAL MATERIAL IS:
Functions

In living organisms, biological waxes have numerous

functions, all of which are related directly or
indirectly to their water-repellent properties.
• Both humans and animals possess skin glands
that secrete biological waxes to protect hair and
skin and to keep it pliable and lubricated.
• With animal fur, waxes impart water repellency to
the fur.
• Birds, particularly aquatic birds, rely on waxes
secreted from preen glands to keep their feathers
water repellent. Such wax coatings also help
minimize loss of body heat when the bird is in cold
water.
• Many plants, particularly those that grown in arid
regions, have leaves that are coated with a thin
layer of biological waxes, which serve to prevent
excessive evaporation of water and to protect
against parasite attack
Biological waxes find use in the
pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and "polishing"
industries.
Carnauba wax (obtained from a species of
Brazilian palm tree) is a particularly hard
wax whose uses involve high-gloss finishes:
automobile wax, boat wax, floor wax, and
shoe wax

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Lanolin, a mixture of
waxes obtained from
sheep wool, is used as
a base for skin creams
and ointments
intended to enhance
retention of water
which softens the skin

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Ear wax
Human earwax which acts as a protective barrier against
infection by capturing airborne particles, is not a true
biological wax – that is, it is not a mixture of simple esters.
Human earwax is a yellow wax secretion that is a mixture of
triacylglycerols, phospholipids, and esters of cholesterol. Its
medical name is cerumen.
In general discussions, a wax is a pliable, water-repelling substance
used particularly in protecting surfaces and producing polished
surfaces. This broadened definition for waxes includes not only

biological waxes but also mineral waxes.

A mineral wax is a mixture of long-chain alkanes obtained from the
processing of petroleum. Mineral waxes, which are also called paraffin
waxes, resist moisture and chemicals and have no odor or taste. They
serve as a waterproof coating for such paper products as milk cartons
and waxed paper.

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Biological wax
or justWax?