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Biomedical subjects

E Azaz

Publications and source records attributed to E Azaz.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1978

Autoxidation of polysorbates.

Aqueous solutions of polysorbate 20 undergo autoxidation on storage, with the peroxide number increasing and subsequently decreasing again, the acidity increasing continuously, the pH and surface tension falling and tending to level off, and the cloud point dropping sharply until turbidity begins at room temperature. The changes are accelerated by light, elevation of temperature, and a copper sulfate catalyst. At the same time, hydrolysis occurs, liberating lauric acid. Analysis of the alterations in these properties leads to the conclusion that hydrolysis has the major influence near room temperature and that oxyethylene undergoes chain shortening at temperatures above 40 degrees. However, evidence of degradation is detectable even in previously unopened commercial samples of polysorbates 20, 40, and 60, warranting attention to the stability of and standards for these surfactants as compared with the solid alkyl ether type of nonionic surfactant.

Chemical Phenomena↗
PubMed1975

Surface tension and cloud point changes of polyoxyethylenic non-ionic surfactants during autoxidation.

Changes in the surface tension-concentration curves of the non-ionic surfactant cetomacrogol, a polyoxyethylenic (POE) hexadecyl ether containing about 24 ethylene oxide (EO) groups, have been examined during autoxidation of aqueous solutions. The curves exhibit decreases in cmc values and changes in the slopes below and above the cmc which lead to the loss of the sharp break characteristic of micelle-formation. There is also a progressive decrease in the cloud point during autoxidation. Surface tensions and cloud points of a series of known POE hexadecyl ethers containing from 10 to 60 EO units have been measured and related to the number of EO units present. From these data, it is apparent that autoxidation of cetomacrogol is accompanied by degradation of POE chain rather than the hydrocarbon chain, the number of EO units lost up to the time at which the solution becomes turbid being about 14. The significance of such measurements is discussed in relation to the detection of decomposition and pending rapid decomposition in synthesized and commercial surfactants.

Catalysis↗