Alkyl Sulfates: Their Selective Bacteriostatic Action *

Detailed studies of the bactericidal action of soaps have been made by numerous observers. Among them the most recent include those by Tilley and Schaffer, Walker, Eggerth, and Schaffer and Tilley. In general, such action increases with the number of carbon atoms in the fatty acid up to a maximum which depends upon factors such as the hydrogen ion concentration, the nature of the test organism, and the solubility of the soap, but is usually highest in those soaps containing 12 or 14 carbon atoms. In the present paper are presented data on the bacteriostatic action of a somewhat related class of substances, the sodium alkyl sulfates, some of which (Drene, Duponol, S.L.S., etc.) have come into widespread use as detergents during the past few years. Soaps and alkyl sulfates are alike in that an alkyl chain is common to both and is the active principle, but it will be recalled that whereas soap is a combination of fatty acid and an alkali, the alkyl sulfates are half-esters of sulfuric acid. The following formulae are descriptive: