Application of gas chromatography with the mass detector (GC-MS) technique for detection of beeswax adulteration with paraffin

Abstract

To detect beeswax adulteration with hydrocarbons of alien origin (e.g. paraffi n), gas chromatography with mass detector (GC-MS) technique was used. The method has been verifi ed here on beeswax samples with different addition (3, 5, 10, 30, and 50%) of paraffi n and validated under the conditions of repeatability and within – laboratory reproducibility. The addition of paraffi n to beeswax can already be detected on the basis of an analysis of the chromatograms. The intensity of individual alkane peaks increased with the increase of the amount of paraffi n added to the beeswax. This increase was the mostly visible for the alkanes with even numbers of carbon atoms in the molecule: C 24 H 50, C 26 H 54, C 28 H 58, C 30 H 62, C 32 H 66, and C 34 H 70. These observations have also been proven by quantitative analysis performed using the internal standard method. Adding paraffi n to beeswax resulted in an increase in the total contents of n-alkanes as well as individual alkanes, and in particular, of the even-numbered alkanes. The addition of paraffi n to beeswax also resulted in the appearance of alkanes containing over 35 carbon atoms in the molecule, which were not detected in beeswax. The method for determination of beeswax hydrocarbons with the GC-MS technique is characterised by satisfactory repeatability and within-laboratory reproducibility. This method can be used for the detection of beeswax adulteration with hydrocarbons of alien origin (e.g. paraffi n).