Polysorbate 20
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| Typical structure of polysorbate 20 (w + x + y + z = 20) "Mixture of partial esters of fatty acids, mainly lauric acid , with sorbitol and its anhydrides, which are ethoxylated with about 20 moles of ethylene oxide for every mole of sorbitol and sorbitol anhydride." |
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| General | |||||||||||||
| Surname | Polysorbate 20 | ||||||||||||
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| Molecular formula | C 58 H 114 O 26 | ||||||||||||
| Brief description |
clear to slightly opalescent, yellowish to brownish-yellow, oily liquid |
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| properties | |||||||||||||
| Molar mass | 1227.72 g · mol -1 | ||||||||||||
| Physical state |
liquid |
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| density |
1.11 g cm −3 |
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| boiling point |
> 100 ° C |
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| Vapor pressure |
<1.4 hPa at 20 ° C |
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| solubility |
soluble in water (<0.2 g l −1 at 20 ° C) |
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| As far as possible and customary, SI units are used. Unless otherwise noted, the data given apply to standard conditions . | |||||||||||||
Polysorbate 20 is a surface-active substance that is used as an emulsifier and wetting agent in food, cleaning agents and in the pharmaceutical and biochemical sectors.
properties
Polysorbate-20 is a nonionic surfactant and has an HLB value of 16.7. It is therefore suitable for the production of oil-in-water emulsions . Polysorbate 20 is stable to electrolytes and weak acids and bases . Some antibiotics and preservatives can be inhibited in their effectiveness. The effect of atmospheric oxygen leads to auto-oxidation of the substance. In the process, peroxides are initially formed, which react to form aldehydes , carboxylic acids and other degradation products that cannot yet be determined (as of 1993).
use
In the food industry, polysorbate 20 is used as an EU food additive with the number E 432 for emulsifying, solubilizing and stabilizing foams. It is used in baking fats, ice cream, cakes, biscuits, puff pastries, sauces and soups, chewing gum and milk and cream substitutes made from vegetable raw materials. In lozenges it is used as a wetting agent to influence the mouthfeel and the release of the aromatic substances.
Polysorbates are also used in animal feed, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and are part of the paper coating for offset papers.
Polysorbate 20 is used in biochemistry:
- for solubilization of membrane proteins ,
- for lysis of cells ,
- as a detergent in immunassays in TBS-T buffer to reduce non-specific binding.
Manufacturing
The esterification of sorbitol and its anhydrides ( sorbitan ) with lauric acid and subsequent reaction with ethylene oxide results in polysorbate with a total degree of polymerization of 20.
Related substances
Other representatives from the group of polysorbates are:
Individual evidence
- ↑ European Pharmacopoeia , Deutscher Apotheker Verlag Stuttgart, 6th edition, 2008, pp. 3718–3719, ISBN 978-3-7692-3962-1 .
- ↑ Entry on E 432: Polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate (polysorbate 20) in the European database for food additives, accessed on June 27, 2020.
- ↑ a b F. von Bruchhausen (Ed.), G. Dannhardt, S. Ebel et al .: Hager's Handbook of Pharmaceutical Practice. Volume 9: fabrics P-Z, 5th edition, Springer, Berlin 1993, p. 289 ff.
- ↑ a b c d e f g Datasheet Polysorbate 20 (PDF) from Merck , accessed on December 26, 2019.