Global chelants market is going green - Innospec

14 April 2008 23:31  [Source: ICIS news]

ORLANDO, Florida (ICIS news)--Regulatory pressures are pushing the global chelants market to find greener alternatives, an Innospec executive said on Monday.

Chelating agents are used to help metal ions stay in solution or to prevent metals from performing undesirable reactions in such applications as cleaning, food, personal care and pharmaceuticals.

Roughly 80% of the global chelant market has regulatory issues - especially from the European Union and the US, said Nick Dixon, product and technical manager, active chemicals, at Innospec.

Dixon was speaking at the SODEOPEC (Soaps, Detergents, Oleochemicals and Personal Care) conference in Orlando, Florida.

Chelating agents such as ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA), diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (DTPA) and phosphonates are particularly under pressure because of issues concerning their poor biodegradability, he said.

“Regulatory pressures on non-biodegradable chelants are increasing, and we believe this will soon force a reduction in their usage,” Dixon said. “Suppliers of chelants must respond to the challenge and bring more innovative solutions to market.”

Biodegradable chelating agents such as ethylenediamine disuccinic acid (EDDS) are now being developed to replace EDTA on a like-to-like basis.

Dixon said EDDS is overall the best alternative to EDTA because of the chelant’s key performance benefits, such as its ability to reduce biocide levels; its ability to prevent radical formation from transition metal ions and peroxide; its non-toxicity; and, most of all, its biodegradability.

“By bringing these kind of solutions to the market, we believe the market share of green chelants will substantially increase by 2016,” Dixon said.

The 3-day conference hosted by the American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS) ends on Wednesday.

By: Doris de Guzman
+1 713 525 2653

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