Widely used as a non-ionic surfactant in biological and biochemical applications, particularly as a cell membrane disruptor in cell lysis buffers. It helps solubilize membrane proteins and lipids without denaturing most proteins, making it ideal for immunoprecipitation and protein extraction. Commonly included in washing buffers during ELISA and Western blotting to reduce non-specific binding. Also used in nucleic acid purification protocols to release intracellular contents. Its low absorbance in UV range makes it suitable for assays involving spectrophotometric detection. Often chosen as a safer alternative to NP-40 in laboratory settings due to similar performance with reduced toxicity concerns.