Tween-20, also known as Polysorbate 20, is a polysorbate-type nonionic surfactant belonging to the polysorbate family. It contains ethylene oxide subunits responsible for the hydrophilic nature of the surfactant, sorbitol which forms the backbone ring attached by the ethylene oxide polymers, and hydrocarbon chains which provide the hydrophobic environment. Tween-20 is a detergent widely used in biochemical applications. It also can be used as an emulsifying agent to prepare stable oil-in-water emulsion, as a blocking agentt in immunoassays, and as a buffer for lysing mammalian cells.
