Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid - Toxicity and Environmental Considerations

Toxicity and Environmental Considerations

EDTA is in such widespread use that it has emerged as a persistent organic pollutant. It degrades to ethylenediaminetriacetic acid, which then cyclizes to the diketopiperizide, a cumulative, persistent, organic environmental pollutant. An alternative chelating agent with fewer environmental pollution implications is EDDS.

EDTA exhibits low acute toxicity with LD₅₀ (rat) of 2.0 – 2.2 g/kg. It has been found to be both cytotoxic and weakly genotoxic in laboratory animals. Oral exposures have been noted to cause reproductive and developmental effects. The same study by Lanigan also found that both dermal exposure to EDTA in most cosmetic formulations and inhalation exposure to EDTA in aerosolized cosmetic formulations would produce exposure levels below those seen to be toxic in oral dosing studies.