Effect of the polyoxyethylene chain length of triton X surfactants on the adsolubilization of reconstituted wax model compounds.

The effect of the surfactant, alpha-[4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl) phenyl]-omega-hydroxypolyoxy-1,2-ethanediyl, on the adsolubilization of cholesterol and/or dotriacontane as model compounds of the epicuticular wax of mature tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruit was investigated. Cholesterol as a model compound of such triterpenols as alpha- and beta-amyrins was solubilized in a concentration-dependent manner above the critical micelle concentration (cmc), while non-detectable quantities of the saturated hydrocarbon, dotriacontane, was solubilized at any concentration used. However, the surfactants solubilized more cholesterol from mixed than single membranes. The surfactants with a shorter polyoxyethylene (POE) chain length solubilized greater quantities than those with longer POE chains, suggesting that the microenvironment of micelles related to the polyoxyethylene moiety had an important effect on surfactant solubilization and that the octylphenol moiety must be capable of adsorbing to a specific region of the reconstituted membrane like dotriacontane.