Database/Chelating/Disodium EDTA
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Disodium EDTA natural?

Mostly not. A synthetic chelator built from petrochemical ethylenediamine and chloroacetic acid, partly neutralized with natural mineral sodium.

INCI nameDisodium EDTA
CAS139-33-3
FormulaC10H14N2Na2O8 · 336.21 Da
FunctionChelating · Viscosity Controlling
FeedstockManufactured by reacting petrochemical ethylenediamine with sodium chloroacetate…

How we scored it

EDTA backbone (ethylenediamine+chloroacetate, both petrochemical) MW~292; disodium salt MW~336; natural Na mass 46/336=0.14.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

How it’s made

Strecker-type: amine + formaldehyde → hemiaminal → iminium; cyanide adds. The film draws the key step and names the steps after it. Each curved arrow moves one electron pair, and the film ends on the score above.

Where it comes from

Manufactured by reacting petrochemical ethylenediamine with sodium chloroacetate (from chlorine and acetic acid), then partially neutralizing the resulting acid with sodium hydroxide. Only the sodium portion of the molecule is of mineral origin.

In plain English

A lab-made chelating ingredient, partly neutralized with sodium. Binds trace metal ions in a formula so they don't degrade fragrance, colour or preservatives.

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Structure

2D structure of Disodium EDTA

disodium;2-[2-[bis(carboxymethyl)amino]ethyl-(carboxylatomethyl)amino]acetate

PubChem CID 13020083 ↗

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2Disodium EDTA. PubChem CID 13020083. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3DISODIUM EDTA. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4DISODIUM EDTA. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=DISODIUM%20EDTA