A new approach to the theory of adsorption and permeability of surfactants on keratinic proteins: the specific behaviour of certain hydrophobic chains

Abstract

caused by ionic surfactants on keratinic proteins such as stratum corncure has been studied. Adsorption and permeability of the protein or lipoprotein structures have been investigated, and a five step mechanism is proposed to explain the way in which ionic surfactants can be transferred from the interface protein-water to the inner cells of the dermis, resulting in irritation. Two new theoretical approaches are proposed to justify the odd behaviour of the C: anionic surfactants: solubility on hydrophobic sites, or a molecular conformation of the normal linear structure of the surfactant molecules in a more stable form, under conditions which give a minimum size for C surfactants.