{"id":227,"date":"2023-01-09T16:16:17","date_gmt":"2023-01-09T16:16:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graywolfslair.com\/?p=227"},"modified":"2023-05-14T16:52:34","modified_gmt":"2023-05-14T16:52:34","slug":"8-2-plant-waxes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/graywolfslair.com\/index.php\/8-essential-oil-safety\/8-2-plant-waxes\/","title":{"rendered":"8.2 Plant Waxes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Plant waxes are the protective cover between the plant cells and their environment, by which they regulate their water loss, and protect themselves from the environment.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we speak of plant waxes, it is usually as if it were a single compound, but a deeper look reveals that it is a mixture of simple Alkanes, Alcohols, Aldehydes, and Fatty Acids, ranging from 20 carbon chains, to about 34. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To put them into perspective, the well known Carnauba (<\/strong>C30 H62 O)  and Candelilla (C31 H64 O) plant waxes are C-30 and C-31 molecules respectively.  About the same consistency as bees wax, and denser than (C16 H34 O) ear wax.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WAXES<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Wax<\/strong><\/td>Alcohol<\/strong><\/td>Fatty Acid<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Carnauba<\/strong><\/td>CH3<\/sub>(CH2<\/sub>)28<\/sub>CH2<\/sub>-OH<\/td>CH3<\/sub>(CH2<\/sub>)24<\/sub>COOH<\/td><\/tr>
Beeswax<\/strong><\/td>CH3<\/sub>(CH2<\/sub>)28<\/sub>CH2<\/sub>-OH<\/td>CH3<\/sub>(CH2<\/sub>)14<\/sub>COOH<\/td><\/tr>
Spermacetic (ear wax)<\/strong><\/td>CH3<\/sub>(CH2<\/sub>)14<\/sub>CH2<\/sub>-OH<\/td>CH3<\/sub>(CH2<\/sub>)14<\/sub>COOH<\/td><\/tr>
 <\/td> <\/td> <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 I’ve not found an analysis of cannabis plant waxes, but looking at plant waxes in general, here is a breakdown of what is in the waxes from the leaves of the xxxx plant, giving perspective as to the mixture:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

% of Fraction in Plant Waxes from:<\/strong>http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1046\/j.1365-3040.2000.00581.x\/full<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Carbon<\/strong><\/td>Alkanes<\/strong><\/td>Alcohols<\/strong><\/td>Aldehydes<\/strong><\/td>Fatty Acids<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
20<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td>1<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
21<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td>tr<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
22<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td>tr<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td>2<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
23<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td>tr<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td>1<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
24<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td>1<\/strong><\/td>2<\/strong><\/td>7<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
25<\/strong><\/td>tr<\/strong><\/td>tr<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td>2<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
26<\/strong><\/td>Tr<\/strong><\/td>3<\/strong><\/td>3<\/strong><\/td>5<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
27<\/strong><\/td>5<\/strong><\/td>1<\/strong><\/td>4<\/strong><\/td>4<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
28<\/strong><\/td>3<\/strong><\/td>13<\/strong><\/td>24<\/strong><\/td>19<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
29<\/strong><\/td>47<\/strong><\/td>4<\/strong><\/td>8<\/strong><\/td>8<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
30<\/strong><\/td>4<\/strong><\/td>33<\/strong><\/td>31<\/strong><\/td>31<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
31<\/strong><\/td>38<\/strong><\/td>4<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
32<\/strong><\/td>2<\/strong><\/td>28<\/strong><\/td>28<\/strong><\/td>21<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
33<\/strong><\/td>2<\/strong><\/td>3<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
34<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td>7<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td>–<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Total<\/strong><\/td>72<\/strong><\/td>9<\/strong><\/td>1<\/strong><\/td>2<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Tr = Traces less than 0.5% undetectable<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 Notice that it is no longer an issue of non polar plant waxes, as only the Alkane molecules are non polar.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Molecular weights also become an issue, when you are talking about processes like SCFE CO2, where molecular weights above about 400 g\/mol are mostly insoluble.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking at C-30 Carnauba wax for instance as\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>CH3(CH2)28CH2OH or simplified as\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>C30H62O, it has a molecular weight of about\u00a0 438.8127 g\/mol.\u00a0\u00a0http:\/\/www.webqc.org\/molecular-weight-of-CH3%28CH2%2928CH2OH.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symbol<\/strong><\/td>Element<\/strong><\/td>Atomic Wt<\/strong><\/td>Atoms<\/strong><\/td>Total<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
C<\/td>Carbon<\/td>12.0107<\/td>30<\/td>360.321<\/td><\/tr>
H<\/td>Hydrogen<\/td>1.00794<\/td>62<\/td>62.49228<\/td><\/tr>
O<\/td>Oxygen<\/td>15.9994<\/td>1<\/td>15.9994<\/td><\/tr>
Molecular Weight<\/strong><\/td> <\/td> <\/td> <\/td>438.81268 g\/mol<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 That suggests of course that those molecules smaller than about C-27 will have a molecular weight below 400 g\/mol, so are readily extracted by SCFE CO2 as well.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some interesting reads on plant waxes:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biology of the plant cuticle:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=qaJVSVYZhVQC&pg=PA119&lpg=PA119&dq=cannabis+plant+wax+chemical+properties&source=bl&ots=UUTo76r1TW&sig=HHQ6RLAXHETfeB5SIHLx8Wnh4b4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjbv5uOk7nXAhVDylQKHcBTCLEQ6AEIcjAO#v=onepage&q=cannabis%20plant%20wax%20chemical%20properties&f=false<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leaf cuticular waxes are arranged in chemically and mechanically distinct layers: evidence from Prunus laurocerasus<\/em> L.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1046\/j.1365-3040.2000.00581.x\/full<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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