Question

Given below are two statements:
Statement (I): Shellac is a resin secreted by the female of lac insect on trees in the forests.
Statement (II): Shellac is composed of aleuritic acid, malic acid and shellolic acid.
In light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

• A. Both Statement (I) and Statement (II) are correct
• B. Both Statement (I) and Statement (II) are incorrect
• C. Statement (I) is correct but Statement (II) is incorrect
• D. Statement (I) is incorrect but Statement (II) is correct

Hint:

Remember the chemical composition of lac: it consists of aleuritic acid, shellolic acid, and jalaric acid.
Malic acid is a fruit acid (common in apples) and is not found in insect-derived resins like shellac.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Lac is a natural resin secreted by the lac insect, Kerria lacca (formerly Laccifer lacca), which belongs to the superfamily Coccoidea.
This insect infests host trees (such as Kusum, Palas, and Ber) in forested regions and secretes a protective resinous covering.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze both statements:
Statement (I) asserts that shellac is a resin secreted by the female lac insect on forest trees.
This is correct.
The immature nymphs of the lac insect settle on tender twigs of host trees and feed on plant sap.
The female insects, which are sessile, secrete a resinous fluid from their lac glands to form a protective chamber around themselves.
This raw resinous secretion is harvested as "sticklac."
When sticklac is processed, purified, and formed into thin sheets, it is called "shellac."
In general agricultural and industrial contexts, "shellac" is often used synonymously with the natural resin secreted by the female lac insect.
Thus, Statement (I) is correct.
Statement (II) states that shellac is composed of aleuritic acid, malic acid, and shellolic acid.
This is incorrect.
Chemically, lac resin is a complex mixture of polyester compounds derived from hydroxy fatty acids and sesquiterpene acids.
The primary chemical constituents of this resin are:
- Aleuritic acid: A key 16-carbon hydroxy fatty acid that makes up about 35% of the resin.
- Shellolic acid and Jalaric acid: Sesquiterpene acids that form the structural backbone of the resin.
- Butolic acid: Another minor monohydroxy fatty acid.
Malic acid, which is a simple dicarboxylic acid found in fruits (such as apples), is not a constituent of lac resin.
Because Statement (II) includes malic acid as a component of shellac, it is chemically incorrect.
Therefore, Statement (I) is correct and Statement (II) is incorrect.
This corresponds to Option (C).

Step 3: Final Answer:
Statement (I) is correct as shellac is derived from the resin secreted by the female lac insect, while Statement (II) is incorrect because malic acid is not a chemical component of lac resin.