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Product Name: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid
Synonyms: EDTA, Edetic Acid
Chemical Formula: C10H16N2O8
CAS Number: 60-00-4
Recommended Use: Chelating agent in laboratories, industrial cleaning solutions, food additive, pharmaceutical production, water treatment processes.
Supplier Information: Provided by leading laboratory chemical suppliers across North America, Europe, and Asia. Typical contact information includes emergency phone and technical support lines for spill response or hazard clarification.
Classification: Eye irritation category 2A, Skin irritation category 2, Not classified as a carcinogen.
Hazard Statements: Causes serious eye irritation, may cause skin irritation on direct contact, no known acute toxicity at low concentrations.
Signal Word: Warning
Pictograms: Exclamation mark indicating irritant
Precautionary Statements: Wear protective gloves and eye protection, avoid inhaling dusts or vapors, wash hands after handling, do not eat or drink while using the substance.
Chemical: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid
Concentration: >99% (Pure grade); Pharmaceutical or reagent grades follow similar purity levels
Impurities: Trace amounts of nitrilotriacetic acid or related chelating compounds can appear, usually below 1%.
Molecular Weight: 292.24 g/mol
Inhalation: Move affected person to fresh air as soon as possible, look for signs of breathing difficulty, seek medical attention if symptoms persist such as coughing or tightness in chest.
Skin Contact: Remove contaminated clothing, rinse skin thoroughly with plenty of water, seek medication for persistent rash, apply gentle soap if needed.
Eye Contact: Flush eyes with clean, lukewarm running water for no less than 15 minutes, hold eyelids apart, avoid rubbing eyes, prompt medical evaluation if irritation continues.
Ingestion: Rinse mouth, encourage drinking water to dilute, never induce vomiting, immediate medical assistance recommended particularly for large amounts or adverse symptoms.
Most Important Symptoms: Red or watery eyes, itching, dry or irritated skin, mild respiratory discomfort in dusty settings.
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Water spray, carbon dioxide, dry chemical powder, foam can all douse flames around EDTA.
Unsuitable Extinguishing Media: None identified for this compound specifically.
Special Hazards: Thermal decomposition can release irritating fumes such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide.
Protective Equipment: Full firefighting gear including SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus), avoid inhaling fumes, remain upwind during response.
Firefighting Instructions: Evacuate downwind areas, use shielded hose lines, contain runoff to prevent environmental contamination.
Personal Precautions: Ensure use of gloves, safety glasses, dust mask if product is in powdered form, avoid unnecessary contact.
Environmental Precautions: Prevent material from entering drains, surface water, or soil. Large spills may cause local water chelation effects, disturbing metal ion balance.
Containment: Scoop or sweep up spilled solid, dampen if dust risk is high, collect in labeled, sealable containers.
Cleanup: Wash residues away with copious amounts of water, ventilate area, dispose all cleaning materials following disposal procedures.
Reporting: Notify environmental authorities if a significant spill could affect community water sources.
Handling: Use chemical-resistant gloves, safety goggles or face shield, lab coat or other body covering, work in well-ventilated space or fume hood for powders, avoid dust generation.
Hygiene Measures: Keep food and drinks away from storage and work areas, always wash hands and arms after handling, remove contaminated clothing before leaving area.
Storage: Keep container tightly closed, store in cool, dry place away from incompatible substances like strong oxidizing agents or acids, maintain product in original container, avoid humidity that could clump powder.
Incompatibilities: Avoid strong oxidizers, concentrated acids, alkalis.
Exposure Limits: No established OSHA or ACGIH occupational exposure limits specific to EDTA, but total particulate limits for nuisance dusts can apply (< 10 mg/m3).
Engineering Controls: Use local exhaust ventilation, general dilution ventilation helps keep airborne concentrations low, keep work surfaces clean and clear of powder residues.
Personal Protective Equipment: Use nitrile gloves or similar, chemical splash goggles, standard laboratory clothing, respirators may be needed in poorly ventilated areas or with large quantities of dust.
Other Controls: Emergency eyewash and safety shower stations nearby for labs and industrial settings.
Appearance: White crystalline powder or granular solid, odorless.
Boiling Point: Decomposes prior to boiling
Melting Point: 240°C (464°F) - decomposes
Solubility: Slightly soluble in water (0.5 g/100 mL at room temperature), more soluble in alkaline solutions, insoluble in most organic solvents.
pH: Slightly acidic (pH ≈ 2.5 for 1% solution).
Vapor Pressure: Not applicable (nearly zero).
Density: Approx. 0.86 g/cm3 (bulk density).
Other: No significant odor, highly stable under normal laboratory and industrial conditions.
Chemical Stability: Stable under ambient temperatures and normal pressures, withstands atmospheric oxygen and light.
Reactivity: Can chelate most metal ions, forming stable complexes especially in mildly basic conditions.
Conditions to Avoid: High temperatures, incompatible chemical mixtures, moisture exposure for hygroscopic grades.
Decomposition: Heating beyond melting point generates harmful gases including nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide.
Incompatible Materials: Strong acids, strong oxidizing agents, certain alkali metals.
LD50 (Acute Oral - Rat): 2000-2800 mg/kg.
Routes of Exposure: Eyes, skin, inhalation of dust, ingestion.
Acute Effects: Eye and skin irritation, respiratory tract irritation, nausea possible at high oral doses.
Chronic Effects: No strong evidence of mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, or reproductive toxicity in current scientific literature.
Sensitization: Rare allergic reactions reported in susceptible individuals.
Medical Conditions Aggravated: Asthma or respiratory allergies potentially worsened by exposure to dust.
Ecotoxicity: May impact aquatic environments by chelating metal ions, affecting fish and plant micronutrient uptake.
Persistence and Degradability: EDTA resists breakdown in most natural waters and soils, long persistence observed especially in municipal wastewater.
Bioaccumulation Potential: Low direct bioaccumulation, though persistent environmental presence raises concern for indirect food chain effects.
Mobility: Readily mobile in soil, leaches into waterways, does not bind strongly to organic matter.
Additional: European Union restricts sewage discharge due to environmental persistence concerns.
Waste Disposal: Dispose via licensed chemical waste contractor, comply with federal, state, and local environmental regulations; avoid direct landfill or sewer disposal.
Packaging Disposal: Clean containers before recycling or landfill, follow local guidelines for hazardous waste packaging.
Incineration: Permitted only at facilities with proper fume scrubbing capacity given potential for nitrogen oxide emission.
Special Precautions: Check wastewater effluent limitations for EDTA in regulated jurisdictions.
UN Number: Not regulated for transport under UN, IATA, or IMDG codes.
Proper Shipping Name: Not classified as hazardous for air, sea, or road.
Hazard Class: No assigned class or packing group.
Label Requirements: None specific beyond standard chemical packaging.
Special Precautions: Protect against moisture, avoid crushing or damage to containers, use leak-proof packaging.
OSHA Status: Hazardous substance mainly for eye/skin irritation, subject to laboratory standards for safe handling.
TSCA: Listed in the United States EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory.
REACH (EU): Under continuous review due to environmental persistence, subject to packaging and discharge controls.
Canada WHMIS: Regulated as an irritant under workplace safety rules.
Other: Food-grade EDTA subject to purity controls in food and pharmaceutical settings, regulated for discharge in some municipal wastewater systems, guidance issued by EMPA, EPA, ECHA for safe handling and environmental protection.
