NP-40
{{Chembox
| ImageFile = Polyethylene glycol nonylphenyl ether.svg
| ImageSize = 200px
| IUPACName =
| OtherNames = Polyethylene glycol nonylphenyl ether; Nonyl phenoxypolyethoxylethanol; Nonoxynol-40
| Section1 = {{Chembox Identifiers
| CASNo_Ref = {{cascite|correct|CAS}}
| CASNo = 26027-38-3
| ChemSpiderID = 23159
| UNII_Ref = {{fdacite|correct|FDA}}
| UNII = 4867M0AEJI
| PubChem = 24773
| EC_number = 500-024-6
| UNNumber = 3082
| ChEMBL = 194034
| DTXSID = DTXSID9058600
| StdInChI=1S/C19H32O3/c1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-18-10-12-19(13-11-18)22-17-16-21-15-14-20/h10-13,20H,2-9,14-17H2,1H3
| StdInChIKey = BLXVTZPGEOGTGG-UHFFFAOYSA-N
| SMILES = CCCCCCCCCC1=CC=C(C=C1)OCCOCCO
}}
| Section2 = {{Chembox Properties
| Formula = H(C2H4O)nO(C6H4)C9H19
| MolarMass = Variable
| Appearance =
| Density =
| MeltingPt =
| BoilingPt =
| Solubility =
}}
| Section3 = {{Chembox Hazards
| MainHazards =
| FlashPt =
| AutoignitionPt =
}}
}}
NP-40 (also known as Tergitol-type NP-40 and nonyl phenoxypolyethoxylethanol[https://www.thermofisher.com/order/catalog/product/28324 NP-40 Surfact-Amps Detergent Solution]) is a commercially available detergent with CAS Registry Number 9016-45-9. NP-40 is an ethoxylated nonylphenol for non-ionic surfactants and can act as emulsifier and demulsifier agent.
NP-40 is often used to break open all membranes within a cell, including the nuclear membrane {{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}. To break only the cytoplasmic membrane, other detergents such as digitonin can be used.
NP-40 has applications in paper and textile processing, in paints and coatings, and in agrochemical manufacturing.
Care should be taken to avoid confusing NP-40 with Nonidet P-40 (octyl phenoxypolyethoxylethanol) which is currently out of production. Nonidet P-40 ("Non-Ionic Detergent") was originally manufactured and trademarked by the Shell Chemical Company,{{Cite journal | doi=10.1039/AR96057FP001| title=Front matter| journal=Annual Reports on the Progress of Chemistry| volume=57| pages=P001| year=1960}} but was phased out of production in the early 2000s. Confusingly, biochemical protocols published between the 1960s{{Cite web | url=https://www.cabdirect.org/cabdirect/abstract/19702702616 |title = CAB Direct}} and 2000s refer to Shell's Nonidet P-40 as NP-40. Shell's original Nonidet P-40 had a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) value of 13.5,[https://www.dow.com/assets/attachments/business/pcm/tergitol/tergitol_np-9/tds/tergitol_np-9tds.pdf TERGITOL NP-9 Surfactant ] as opposed to 12.9 for the currently available IGEPAL CA-630,{{Cite web | url=https://www.elsevier.com/books/guide-to-protein-purification/burgess/978-0-12-374536-1 |title = Guide to Protein Purification, Volume 463 - 2nd Edition}} indicating that the currently available compound is more potent than the compound used in older publications. Indeed, according to a 2017 report,{{Cite journal |doi = 10.1139/bcb-2016-0141|pmid = 28177759|title = Use of substitute Nonidet P-40 nonionic detergents in intracellular tubulin polymerization assays for screening of microtubule targeting agents|journal = Biochemistry and Cell Biology|volume = 95|issue = 3|pages = 379–384|year = 2017|last1 = Sinha|first1 = S.|last2 = Field|first2 = J.J.|last3 = Miller|first3 = J.H.|doi-access = free}} an additional dilution factor of 10 was required for the currently available NP-40 ("Nonidet P-40 substitutes") to match the activity of the previously available, and now discontinued, Shell's Nonidet P-40.
See also
- Nonoxynol-9
- Surfactant
- Lipid bilayer
- Detergent
- Triton X-100 (differs only in the # of carbons in the aliphatic portion)