Hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid

Hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid (CAS 150-39-0), commonly known as HEDTA, is a chelating agent used across industrial and personal care applications. It binds and sequesters metal ions, particularly calcium, magnesium, iron, and heavy metals. By sequestering these ions, it prevents them from interfering with formulation performance or process chemistry. In personal care formulations, HEDTA stabilizes products by deactivating trace metal ions that would otherwise degrade active ingredients.

This stabilization prevents discoloration and maintains the integrity of the final product. Water treatment operations use it to control scale formation and metal ion interference in process water and cooling systems. Textile and paper processing rely on HEDTA to sequester hardness ions during bleaching and dyeing. This process improves consistency and reduces chemical waste across large-scale manufacturing operations.

In cleaning formulations, it enhances detergent performance by keeping calcium and magnesium ions from reducing surfactant efficiency. This ensures that cleaning agents remain effective even in hard water conditions. HEDTA is supplied primarily as an aqueous solution, with concentration levels varying by grade and supplier specification. Technical grade is the standard offering for industrial applications including water treatment.

Personal care applications may require grades meeting cosmetic or purity specifications aligned with industry standards. These high-purity options ensure compatibility with sensitive skin and hair care formulations.