Question

Define the term surfactant? Explain problems of anionic detergents.

Answer 1

anionic detergent. A detergent whose hydrophilic activity hinges on an anionic group. Fatty acids are natural anionic detergents (AD), but are neither used as detergents nor function as such in biological systems; the main synthetic ADs are aliphatic sulphate esters (e.g., sodium dodecyl sulphate).

Answer 2

A substance which tends to reduce the surface tension of a liquid in which it is dissolved.


anionic detergent. A detergent whose hydrophilic activity hinges on ananionic group. Fatty acids are naturalanionic detergents (AD), but are neither used as detergents nor function as such in biological systems; the main synthetic ADs are aliphatic sulphate esters (e.g., sodium dodecyl sulphate).