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Article
Animal and plant wax
Article By:
Hickman, Howard M. Sherex Chemical Company, Dublin, Ohio.
Last reviewed:July 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.742000
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- mal and vegetable wax, published June 2014:Download PDF
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Any of the substances containing esters of higher fatty acids and long-chain monohydric alcohols. From a practical standpoint, this definition is inadequate because it allows liquids such as sperm whale oil and jojoba oil to be called waxes, and it fails to indicate the complexity of waxes. While waxes do contain wax esters, they are seldom if ever pure. They are usually mixtures that may contain high-molecular-weight acids, alcohols, esters, ketones, hydrocarbons, sterols, diesters, hydroxy acids, and so forth, as well as the wax esters (see illustration). See also: Ester
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