Chelating Agents

Simply put, Chelating Agents are materials used to control metal ions Because trace metal ions can be found literally anywhere in our environment, chelating agents are needed almost everywhere in industry. Chelating agents are specific materials that are added to an aqueous system to “tie-up” metal ions so they are no longer troublesome. The chelating agent complexes with the metal ion, forming a three-dimensional structure that blocks the ion’s normal reactive sites and prevents it from reacting as it normally would. In personal care products, these agents improve effectiveness, stability, hard water performance, rinseability, and shelf life of formulations.