Skip to Content
Merck
HomeProductsChemistry & BiochemicalsBiochemicalsDetergents - Anionic, Cationic, Zwitterionic, Anti-foaming

Detergents - Anionic, Cationic, Zwitterionic, Anti-foaming

Detergents are surfactants or compounds that decrease the surface tension between two liquids or liquids and solids by solubilizing hydrophobic molecules. These water-soluble surface-active agents are comprised of a hydrophobic portion, usually a long alkyl chain, attached to hydrophilic or water solubility-enhancing functional groups. Detergents are commonly used in biochemistry, cell biology and molecular biology for cell lysis, membrane protein and lipid purification, protein crystallization, and reduction of background staining in blotting experiments.   

We offer a broad range of biological detergents and surfactants to meet your research and manufacturing needs, including biodegradable alternatives per OECD 301F, such as TERGITOL™ 15-S and ECOSURF™ surfactants. Our detergent products include: anionic detergents, cationic detergents, zwitterionic detergents, non-ionic detergents, and anti-foaming agents. Our portfolio of chemically-stable products spans from reagent grade for general lab use to highly purified grades for the most demanding applications. Bulk and custom ordering options provide the same product from bench top to large scale manufacturing under ISO 90001:2008 certifications.

Read more about

Ionic Detergents

Ionic detergents contain anionic or cationic head groups and possess a net charge. Their hydrophobic tails are either straight hydrocarbon chains, as in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), or rigid steroidal groups, as in bile acid salts. Ionic detergents are extremely effective in membrane protein solubilization but are almost always denaturing to some extent. Bile acid salts are anionic detergents with backbones consisting of rigid steroidal groups, e.g., sodium salts of cholic acid and deoxycholic acid. Because of their planar structure, these molecules have a polar and a nonpolar face. As a result, their CMC’s are high and their micelles are small, which makes them easy to remove by dialysis.

Non-ionic Detergents

Non-ionic detergents contain uncharged, hydrophilic head groups that consist of either polyoxyethylene moieties, as in BRIJ® and Triton™ Detergents, or glycosidic groups, as in octyl glucoside and dodecyl maltoside. Since non-ionic detergents break lipid-lipid and lipid-protein, but not protein-protein interactions, they are considered non-denaturing. Thus, these gentle detergents are widely used in membrane protein isolation in their biologically active form. Unlike ionic detergents, salts have minimal effect on the micellar size of non-ionic detergents.

Zwitterionic Detergents

Zwitterionic detergents have characteristics of both ionic and non-ionic types. Like non-ionic detergents, the zwittergents do not possess a net charge, lack conductivity and electrophoretic mobility, and do not bind to ion-exchange resins. Therefore, they are often useful alternatives to non-ionic detergents in ion-exchange chromatography, electrophoresis, and isoelectric focusing. However, like ionic detergents, they are efficient at breaking protein-protein interactions. Steroid-based zwittergents, such as CHAPS, are less denaturing than linear-chain zwitterionic detergents (e.g., dodecyldimethyldiamine oxide).

Related Product Resources

Page 1 of 2
Related Product Categories
Biological Buffers
Learn about high-purity biological buffers in various formulations and packaging formats to get superior solution stability and pH control for your bioprocess workflow applications.
Cell Dissociation Reagents
Enzymes like trypsin and collagenase are essential for the detachment of adherent cells and solid tissues for subculture and experiments. Recombinant trypsin, solutions containing EDTA, and non-enzymatic solutions provide stabler, gentler options for wider culture applications.
PCR Reagents & Kits
Master PCR for Discovery: Amplify DNA exponentially with our reagents, supporting gene analysis, sequencing, mutagenesis, and more.
Nucleic Acid Gel Electrophoresis Equipment and Systems
Optimize DNA and RNA analysis with our stains, gels, and labeling reagents for precise quantitation.
Transfer Buffers & Reagents
Premixed transfer buffers for consistent, reliable protein transfer and high purity, electrophoresis-grade chemicals for making transfer buffers for Western blotting applications.
Protein Gel Electrophoresis and Transfer Equipment
Electrophoresis tanks, blotting systems, and power supplies for protein gel electrophoresis and wet and semi-dry transfer.
Immunodetection Reagents & Substrates
High quality blocking reagents, secondary antibodies, and HRP and AP substrates for Western blotting and immunoblotting detection.
Protein Electrophoresis Gels & Buffers
Precast polyacrylamide protein gels, running buffers, and hand-casting reagents for hand-pouring polyacrylamide gels for PAGE and SDS-PAGE protein gel electrophoresis.
Related Applications
IVD Manufacturing
A brief overview on the key components involved in successful In vitro diagnostic (IVD) assay development. Learn more on IVD scale up, manufacturing, and commercialization.
DNA & RNA Purification
Overview of common techniques and downstream applications for extraction and purification of genomic DNA, plasmid DNA, and total RNA from cells, tissue, blood, viruses, and other sample types.
PCR Applications
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a technique for amplifying nucleic acid molecules and is commonly used in many applications, including RT-PCR, hot start PCR, end point PCR and more.
qPCR
Quantitative PCR (qPCR) or quantitative Real-Time PCR applications, utilizing fluorescent report molecules, suitable for your microRNA, genotyping, and gene expression analyses.
Nucleic Acid Gel Electrophoresis
Learn the basics of DNA and RNA gel electrophoresis, and how these techniques can be used to separate and purify DNA and RNA molecules based on size and charge for cloning, PCR, mass spectrometry, next generation sequencing (NGS), and Northern and Southern blotting applications.
Gel Electrophoresis
Protein gel electrophoresis is used to separate proteins for purification, characterization, and detection. Methods such as native PAGE, SDS-PAGE, 2D PAGE, and isoelectric focusing (IEF) are used in preparation for downstream applications including Western blotting, mass spectrometry, and proteomic analysis.
Western Blotting
An overview of the principles and applications of Western blotting for protein detection. Includes links to detailed protocols, videos, and other resources for protein extraction, gel electrophoresis, transfer to PVDF or nitrocellulose membranes, and chemiluminescent, colorimetric, and fluorescent detection methods.
Protein Purification
Protein purification techniques, reagents, and protocols for purifying recombinant proteins using methods including, ion-exchange, size-exclusion, and protein affinity chromatography.
Related Services
Bulk and Custom Services
Reliable supply of production materials, custom services including QC, testing, documentation, packaging, and contract manufacturing.
Sign In To Continue

To continue reading please sign in or create an account.

Don't Have An Account?