Which surfactant is used to solubilize coal tar in LCD coal tar solution?

• A. Polysorbate 80
• B. Tween 80
• C. Sodium lauryl sulfate
• D. Cremophor

Answer: (A)

Polysorbate 80 is used because it is a nonionic surfactant that efficiently solubilizes hydrophobic substances like coal tar in aqueous media by forming micelles. These micelles trap coal tar molecules, increasing their apparent solubility in the LCD coal tar solution without strong irritation to the skin. Tween 80 is simply another name for the same compound, so it would work the same way, but the generic name is typically preferred in formulations. Sodium lauryl sulfate is an ionic surfactant that can be more irritating and may not solubilize coal tar as effectively in this context, while Cremophor is a different solubilizer not specifically favored for this use.