Polysorbate 80

  • Polyoxyethylene (20) - sorbitan monooleate (IUPAC)
  • Tween ® 80 (trade name)
  • E433

Clear to slightly opalescent yellowish to brownish yellowish, oily, odorless liquid

Liquid

1.08 g · cm -3 ( 20 ° C)

> 100 ° C

1.3 hPa ( 25 ° C)

Soluble in water, ethanol (anhydrous ), methanol and ethyl acetate

38,000 mg · kg -1 ( LD50, rat, oral)

Template: Infobox chemical / molecular formula search available

Polysorbate 80 is a surfactant used as an emulsifier and a wetting agent, for example in foodstuffs, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Properties

Polysorbate 80 is a polyoxyethylated compound derived from sorbitol and oleic acid. The hydrophilic groups of said non-ionic surfactant are polyether polymers of a total of 20 ethylene oxides. The viscosity is 425 mPa · s, Polysorbate 80 has an HLB value of 15.0 is therefore suitable for the production of oil-in- water (O / W) emulsions.

The pH of a 5% aqueous solution is 5-7, the flash point is> 149 ° C. The critical micelle concentration (CMC ) is 1.2 · 10-5 mol / l in water at 25 ° C.

Use

Polysorbate 80 is used primarily in food and, especially in the inserted food, as emulsifier and stabilizer. Use it often found in ice cream to prevent milk proteins, the fat droplets completely surround. Rather, they form chains and network structures, keep the air in the mixture. This forms a firmer structure which ensures that the ice cream during the melting retains its shape.

It is approved in the EU as a food additive number E433. It is largely inert chemically and biologically.

Polysorbate 80 is used in the pharmaceutical industry for the viral inactivation of blood products to use and is used as a solubilizer and emulsifier in the manufacture of medicines to emulsify oily (lipophilic ) substances in aqueous bases. It is one of the few surface-active substances which are parenterally tolerated.

For the production of drugs, particularly pure qualities are required, which are specified in pharmacopoeias.

Production

By the esterification of sorbitol and its anhydrides with oleic acid, sorbitan fatty acid esters result. This reacts with ethylene oxide in a polyaddition, thereby forming Polyoxyethylenbrücken, to polysorbate.

Safety

Draize test on rabbits, on the eye: 150 mg little irritating.

Ecological information

The substance is due to the LD50 value for fish, > 471 mg / l in 96 h ( Onchorhynchus mykiss - rainbow trout) no threat to flora and fauna dar.

Related substances

Other representatives from the group of polysorbates are about:

  • Polysorbate 20
  • Polysorbate 40
  • Polysorbate 60
  • Polysorbate 65
CAS registry number Vapor pressure Hydrophile Hydrophilic-lipophilic balance Addition polymer Digital Object Identifier
251267
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