Science Chemistry: Matter and Change

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 Problem of the Week
A Bit of Honey
Bee keeping was used in Crete over 4000 years ago to allow for the collection of honey, a highly prized food having great value in ancient civilizations. This golden liquid was prescribed by Hippocrates to treat wounds. It was used as a sedative by early Romans and Greeks, by Egyptians to embalm their dead, and described by Aryans as the legendary ambrosia food of the Greek Gods. The French believed that newlyweds were to have drinks containing honey for 30 days following their wedding, and the word 'honeymoon' originated from this custom. In ancient times, honey was a source of sugar and was valued for its medicinal benefits. The medicinal uses of honey are mentioned in the Talmud, the Koran, and ancient Egyptian documents. Modern medicine confirms that honey is an antimicrobial agent as well as a powerful antiseptic that can aid in the healing of wounds and burns. The addition of honey to food helps stimulate digestion and regulate acidity. Other uses of honey include mixing equal amounts of milk and honey or adding honey with beaten egg whites and applying it on the face for a smooth complexion.
In preparation for storing honey, bees construct a honeycomb. Some worker bees secrete beeswax while other worker bees gather propolis, a plant resin used to seal the hexagonal cells of the honeycomb. Field bees gather the nectar, a sweet secretion in plant blossoms that contains fructose, glucose and sucrose as well as trace proteins, salts and acids. They then deposit it in their honey stomach. The nectar is mixed with enzymes in the honey stomach and the chemistry of the nectar is slightly altered. The field bee returns to the hive and gives the nectar to a house bee. The house bee deposits the nectar in a cell of the honeycomb and begins to fan it to evaporate the moisture. The taste, odor, and quality of honey varies according to the age of the bees and the character of the flowers from which the nectar is gathered.
 
Problem 1

Beeswax is an ester formed from Hexacosanoic acid, C26H52O2, and triacontanol, C30H62O.


Tricontanol

Hexacosanoic acid

a. Identify the functional groups of these two molecules.
b. Write the equation for the formation of this ester found in beeswax.
   
Problem 2

A major portion of honey is composed of sugars, with fructose making up 38%. Honey also contains glucose oxidase, an enzyme that converts glucose to gluconolactone. The gloconolactone in turn produces gluconic acid and hydrogen perioxide. Proline is one of eighteen free amino acids found in honey. The flavinoid, pinocembrin, is unique to honey and is one of the antioxidants found in this golden liquid. Ascorbic acid is another antioxidant present, if fact, the darker the honey, the greater antioxidising properties is has.

Each of the following molecules are found in honey. Identify the functional groups found in each molecule.

a.  b.  c.
    Fructose               Proline                     gluconic acid

Useful Web Sites:
Beekeepers Home Pages
The Chemistry of Bees
Honey Research Unit
Keeping Bees
Definition of Honey and Honey Products
Bee Products
The McGraw-Hill Companies
Matter and Change