| detergents | Purifying or cleansing agents, usually salts of long-chain aliphatic bases or acids, that exert cleansing (oil-dissolving) and antimicrobial effects through a surface action that depends on possessing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| anionic detergents | Detergent's, such as soaps (alkali metal salts of long-chain fatty acids), that carry a negative electric charge on a lipid-like molecule and exert a limited antibacterial effect. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| cationic detergents | Detergent's, such as the amine salts or quaternary ammonium or pyridinium compounds of long-chain fatty acids, that have positively charged groups attached to the larger hydrophobic portions. (05 Mar 2000) |