The wax fraction of soils: Separation and determination of some components

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Abstract
Resin‐ and asphalt‐free wax components from a mineral soil and from a peat were separated into free acids, esterified acids and unsaponifiable material. The acids, as methyl esters, were fractionated by column chromatography on magnesium trisilicate to yield n‐alkanoic‐ and hydroxy‐acid fractions. The unsaponifiable material was fractionated on activated alumina, and fractions consisting of n‐alkanes, n‐alkan‐2‐ones (methylalketones) and primary n‐alkanols were obtained. Gas chromatography was used to separate and determine individual components. The n‐alkanoic acid fractions contained members with both odd and even numbers of carbon atoms ranging from C18 to C34 but with the latter predominating (80‐90%). The carbon number of the n‐alkanes and n‐alkane‐2‐ones covered a similar range in which the odd‐numbered members predominated (80‐90%). The primary alcohols had a slightly lower average chain length (C16‐ C30) and 90% consisted of even‐numbered members. These fractions together accounted for 25–30% of the resin‐ and asphalt‐free wax.