Polysorbate 20
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Polysorbate 20 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| IUPAC name | Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate |
| Other names | Polysorbate 20 PEG(20)sorbitan monolaurate |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | [9005-64-5] |
| RTECS number | TR7400000 |
| Properties | |
| Molecular formula | C58H114O26 |
| Molar mass | 1227.54 g/mol |
| Appearance | Clear, yellow to yellow-green viscous liquid. |
| Density | 1.1 g/mL (approximate) |
| Boiling point |
> 100 °C |
| Hazards | |
| MSDS | External MSDS |
| Main hazards | Irritant |
| NFPA 704 |
 0
1
0
|
| Flash point | 110 °C |
| Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references |
|
Polysorbate 20 (commercially also known as Tween 20) is a polysorbate surfactant whose stability and relative non-toxicity allows it to be used as a detergent and emulsifier in a number of domestic, scientific, and pharmacological applications. It is a polyoxyethylene derivative of sorbitan monolaurate, and is distinguished from the other members in the Tween range by the length of the polyoxyethylene chain and the fatty acid ester moiety. The commercial product contains a range of chemical species.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Food applications
Tween is used as a wetting agent in flavored mouth drops such as Ice Drops, helping to provide the spreading feeling of the other ingredients like SD alcohol and mint flavor.
The World Health Organization has suggested acceptable daily intake limits of 0-25 mg of polyoxyethylene sorbitan esters per kg body weight.[2]
[edit] Biological applications
In the biological sciences, Tween 20 has a broad range of applications. For example, it is used:
- to stabilize purified protein derivative (PPD) solution used in skin testing for tuberculosis exposure
- as a blocking agent in immunoassays, such as Western blots and ELISAs.
- as a solubilizing agent of membrane proteins
- for lysing mammalian cells, at a concentration of 0.05% to 0.5% v/v.
- can be dissolved in Tris-Buffered Saline or Phosphate buffered saline at dilutions of 0.05% to 0.5% v/v and used as a washing solution for immunoassays.
[edit] Pharmaceutical applications
Tween is used as in pharmaceutical applications to stabilize emulsions and suspensions.
[edit] Industrial and domestic applications
The Clorox-made cleaning solution used by the iRobot Scooba floor-washing robot lists Tween 20 as one of its major ingredients on its MSDS.
[edit] Data
Tween 20's cmc is 8.04×10-5 M at 21°C.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Ayorinde FO, Gelain SV, Johnson JH Jr, Wan LW. (2000). "Analysis of some commercial polysorbate formulations using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry". Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 14 (22): 2116–2124. doi:. PMID 11114018.
- ^ Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (1974). Toxicological evaluation of some food additives including anticaking agents, antimicrobials, antioxidants, emulsifiers and thickening agents. WHO Food Additives Series No. 5. World Health Organization.
- ^ Chunhee Kim, You-Lo Hsieh (2001). "Wetting and absorbency of nonionic surfactant solutions on cotton fabrics". Colloids and Surfaces A 187: 385–397. doi:.
