Triton X-100 is a nonionic
surfactantSurfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension of a liquid, the interfacial tension between two liquids, or that between a liquid and a solid...
which has a hydrophilic polyethylene oxide group (on average it has 9.5 ethylene oxide units) and a
hydrocarbonIn organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons from which one hydrogen atom has been removed are functional groups, called hydrocarbyls....
lipophilicLipophilicity, , refers to the ability of a chemical compound to dissolve in fats, oils, lipids, and non-polar solvents such as hexane or toluene. These non-polar solvents are themselves lipophilic — the axiom that like dissolves like generally holds true...
or hydrophobic group. The hydrocarbon group is a 4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)-phenyl group. It is related to the Pluronic range of
detergentA detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning properties in dilute solutions." In common usage, "detergent" refers to alkylbenzenesulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water...
s marketed by
BASFBASF SE is the largest chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Germany. BASF originally stood for Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik . Today, the four letters are a registered trademark and the company is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, and Zurich Stock...
. The pluronics are triblock copolymers of
ethylene oxideEthylene oxide, also called oxirane, is the organic compound with the formula . It is a cyclic ether. This means that it is composed of two alkyl groups attached to an oxygen atom in a cyclic shape . This colorless flammable gas with a faintly sweet odor is the simplest epoxide, a three-membered...
and
propylene oxidePropylene oxide is an organic compound with the molecular formula CH3CHCH2O. This colourless volatile liquid is produced on a large scale industrially, its major application being its use for the production of polyether polyols for use in making polyurethane plastics...
. The part formed from ethylene oxide is more hydrophilic than the part from propylene oxide. Triton X-100 is very viscous at room temperature and is thus easiest to use after being gently warmed.
Triton X-100 was originally a registered trademark of Rohm & Haas Co. It was subsequently purchased by
Union CarbideUnion Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. It currently employs more than 2,400 people. Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume...
. It was acquired by the
Dow Chemical CompanyThe Dow Chemical Company is a multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States. As of 2007, it is the second largest chemical manufacturer in the world by revenue and as of February 2009, the third-largest chemical company in the world by market capitalization .Dow...
when Dow acquired Union Carbide. Soon afterward (in 2009), Dow acquired Rohm & Haas Co. itself.
Uses
Triton X-100 is a commonly used
detergentA detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning properties in dilute solutions." In common usage, "detergent" refers to alkylbenzenesulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water...
in laboratories. For example:
- it can be used to permeabilize unfixed (or lightly fixed) eukaryotic cell membranes
- it is used in conjunction with zwitterion
In chemistry, a zwitterion is a neutral molecule with a positive and a negative electrical charge at different locations within that molecule. Zwitterions are sometimes also called inner salts.-Examples:...
ic detergents such as CHAPSCHAPS is a zwitterionic detergent used in the laboratory to solubilize biological macromolecules such as proteins. It is used as a non-denaturing solvent in the process of protein purification and is especially useful in purifying membrane proteins, which are often sparingly soluble or insoluble in...
to solubilize membrane proteinA membrane protein is a protein molecule that is attached to, or associated with the membrane of a cell or an organelle. More than half of all proteins interact with membranes.-Function:...
s in their native state.
- Can be used in DNA extraction
DNA isolation is a routine procedure to collect DNA for subsequent molecular or forensic analysis. There are three basic and two optional steps in a DNA extraction:...
as part of the lysis bufferA lysis buffer is a buffer solution used for the purpose of lysing cells for use in molecular biology experiments that analyze the compounds of the cells . There are many different kind of lysis buffer that one can apply, depending on what analysis the cell lysate will be used for e.g. red blood...
(usually in a 5% solution in alkaline lysis buffer).
- It can be used to reduce the surface tension of aqueous solutions during immunostaining
Immunostaining is a general term in biochemistry that applies to any use of an antibody-based method to detect a specific protein in a sample. The term immunostaining was originally used to refer to the immunohistochemical staining of tissue sections, as first described by Albert Coons in 1941...
(usually in concentration of 0.1-0.5% in TBS or PBS Buffer).
- Emerging use in dispersion of carbon materials for soft composite materials
- it is used in microbiology to restrict colony expansion in Aspergillus nidulans
Apart from laboratory use, Triton X-100 can be found in several types of cleaning compound, ranging from heavy-duty industrial products to gentle detergents. It is also a popular ingredient in homemade vinyl record cleaning fluids together with distilled water and
isopropyl alcoholIsopropyl alcohol is a common name for a chemical compound with the molecular formula C3H8O. It is a colorless, flammable chemical compound with a strong odor...
. Triton X-100 appears as a final ingredient in several yearly influenza vaccines worldwide.
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