Pentasodium Ethylenediamine Tetramethylene

INCI: Pentasodium Ethylenediamine Tetramethylene | Function: Chelating Agent | Type: Chelating Agent (Aminopolycarboxylate)

What Is Pentasodium Ethylenediamine Tetramethylene?

Pentasodium Ethylenediamine Tetramethylene is an aminopolycarboxylate chelating agent related to EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid). The pentasodium salt form provides high water solubility and strong metal-ion binding capacity. It sequesters calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper ions that can destabilize formulations or catalyze oxidation reactions. Used as a preservative aid and stabilizer in cosmetic products.

Key Skin Benefits

+ Metal ion sequestration — prevents oxidation and rancidity
+ Preservative boosting — enhances efficacy of preservative systems
+ Formulation stability — prevents metal-catalyzed degradation
+ Water softening — improves foaming and cleansing performance

Pros

+ Excellent chelation capacity across wide pH range
+ Synergistic with preservatives — reduces required concentration
+ Stabilizes sensitive actives like Vitamin C
+ Well-established safety profile at use levels

Cons

− Synthetic — petroleum-derived raw materials
− Poor biodegradability — environmental persistence
− May complex with calcium in hard water
− Limited skin benefit beyond formulation stability

Specifications

Property	Value
Usage Areas	Face, Eye, Body, Hair
Product Type	Leave-On, Rinse-Off
Source	Synthetic
Natural Level	Synthetic

Safety Ratings

Metric	Rating
Skin Sensitivity	1/5
Comedogenic Rating	0/5
EWG Score	3/10

Regional Regulatory Limits

Region	Leave-on %	Rinse-off %	Status
EU (CosIng)	No limit	No limit	Allowed
US (CIR/FDA)	No limit	No limit	Allowed
Japan (MHLW)	No limit	No limit	Allowed
ASEAN	No limit	No limit	Allowed
China (NMPA)	No limit	No limit	Allowed

Typical Usage % by Product Type

Product Type	Typical %
Creams & Lotions	0.05–0.2%
Cleansers	0.1–0.5%
Shampoos	0.1–0.3%
Serums	0.05–0.15%

References

CosIng Database — Pentasodium Ethylenediamine Tetramethylene. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/
CIR Safety Assessment — EDTA and salts. PMID: 12487767
EWG Skin Deep — EDTA-related compounds. https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

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