Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide

Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTMAB) also known as Cetrimonium bromide is a highly active quaternary ammonium surfactant that is commonly used as an antiseptic agent against bacteria and fungi. It physically appears as a white colored powder that shows high stability at room temperature but it is highly incompatible with strong oxidizing agents. It can also be used in various applications such as biological, medical, and many more.

• Chemical formula: C₁₉H₄₂BrN
• Molar mass: 364.45 g/mol
• Appearance: white powder
• Melting point: 240.0 degree centigrade
• CAS Number: 57-09-0
• Synonyms: Cetrimide, CTAB
• Solubility: Soluble in water, Acetone, Ether, Benzene

• The other names by which this compound is known are CTAB, Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide.
• Plant DNA can be isolated using this cationic surfactant for use in PCR analysis.
• Precipitation of nucleic acid has been achieved with it.
• It can be used to discover protein molecular weights in electrophoretic systems.
• Its other application lies in determining critical micelle concentration of detergents.

Uses: Cationic detergent suitable for the isolation of high molecular weight DNA in plants and other organisms.

Ans: It is use for forming buffer solution that enables to extract DNA. Also, it is being used for the preparation of gold nanoparticles which can be made into a number of shapes such as: spheres, rods, and bipyramids.

Ans: A cationic detergent, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTMAB), selectively dissociates the intermediate filament of the fibroblast.

Ans: It is a surfactant useful for isolation of DNA from tissues containing high amounts of polysaccharides.

Ans: It causes eye burns. Inhalation can be harmful if inhaled. It causes respiratory tract irritation. Skin may be harmful if absorbed through skin.

Ans: It is a common surfactant used in nanoparticles synthesis. It has a 16-carbon as a long tail and an ammonium head group with three methyl groups attached. Here, CTAB can be used for the removal of heavy metals from wastewater.