How are surfactants classified?

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Surfactants are typically classified based on their polar head as the hydrophobic tails are often similar. If the head group has no charge, the surfactant is called non-ionic. If the head group has a negative or positive charge, it is called anionic or cationic, respectively.

What are head groups?

December 6, 2011. Lipid headgroups are substituents that attach to the glycerol, sphingosine, or cholesterol backbones of polar membrane lipids. Phospho- and glycolipids have headgroups linked to the backbone through a phosphodiester bond (Figure 1.2. 2).

What is the polar head group?

Polar headgroups of lipids in biological membranes are dipoles that are affected by the local electrical charges. They are called “interfacial electrometers.” The influence of the field on the molecular structure was monitored in the phosphatidylcholine headgroups.

What is surfactant name any four surfactants?

Examples include sodium alkylbenzene sulfonates, sodium stearate (a soap), and potassium alcohol sulfates. Anionic surfactants are ionic and are made up of two ions positively charged, usually metal, ion and a negatively charged organic ion. Nonionic surfactants – These are surfactants that have no ions.

What is the major component of surfactant?

Surfactant comprises 80% phosphatidylcholine (PC), of which dipalmitoyl-PC, palmitoyl-myristoyl-PC and palmitoyl-palmitoleoyl-PC together are 75%. Anionic phosphatidylglycerol and cholesterol are about 10% each, whereas surfactant proteins SP-A to -D comprise 2-5%.

What are head groups for phospholipids?

Phospholipids. Phospholipids consist of two hydrophobic “tails,” which are fatty acid chains, and one hydrophilic “head,” which is phosphate group. They connect with glycerol and the “head” is typically found at the sn-3 position.

What is polar head group of phospholipids?

Phospholipids consist of a glycerol molecule, two fatty acids, and a phosphate group that is modified by an alcohol. The phosphate group is the negatively-charged polar head, which is hydrophilic. The fatty acid chains are the uncharged, nonpolar tails, which are hydrophobic.

What is surfactant composed of?

Surfactant is synthesized and secreted by Type II alveolar epithelial cells, also called pneumocytes, which differentiate between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation in the human. It is made up of 70% to 80% phospholipids, approximately 10% protein and 10% neutral lipids, mainly cholesterol [3].

What surfactant means?

surfactant, also called surface-active agent, substance such as a detergent that, when added to a liquid, reduces its surface tension, thereby increasing its spreading and wetting properties.

What are surfactants examples?

Sodium stearate is a good example of a surfactant. It is the most common surfactant in soap. Another common surfactant is 4-(5-dodecyl)benzenesulfonate. Other examples include docusate (dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate), alkyl ether phosphates, benzalkaonium chloride (BAC), and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS).