<P> Bile acids, such as deoxycholic acid (DOC), are anionic detergents produced by the liver to aid in digestion and absorption of fats and oils . </P> <P> Cationic detergents that are similar to the anionic ones, with a hydrophilic component, but, instead of the anionic sulfonate group, the cationic surfactants have quaternary ammonium as the polar end . The ammonium sulfate center is positively charged . </P> <P> Non-ionic detergents are characterized by their uncharged, hydrophilic headgroups . Typical non-ionic detergents are based on polyoxyethylene or a glycoside . Common examples of the former include Tween, Triton, and the Brij series . These materials are also known as ethoxylates or PEGlyates and their metabolites, nonylphenol . Glycosides have a sugar as their uncharged hydrophilic headgroup . Examples include octyl thioglucoside and maltosides . HEGA and MEGA series detergents are similar, possessing a sugar alcohol as headgroup . </P> <P> Zwitterionic detergents possess a net zero charge arising from the presence of equal numbers of + 1 and − 1 charged chemical groups . Examples include CHAPS . </P>

Applications of chemistry in the field of soaps and detergents