Nitrilotriacetic acid

Synonyms

NTA; Acetic acid, nitrilotri-; Aminotriacetic acid; CHEL 300; Complexon I; Glycine, N,N-bis(carboxymethyl)-; Hampshire NTA acid; Komplexon I; Kyselina nitrilotrioctova [Czech]; N,N-Bis(carboxymethyl)glycine; Nitrilo-2,2',2''-triacetic acid; Nitriloacetate; Nitrilotriacetate; Nitrilotriessigsaeure; Titriplex I; Tri(carboxymethyl)amine; Triglycine; Triglycollamic acid; Trilon A; Versene NTA acid; alpha,alpha',alpha''-Trimethylaminetricarboxylic acid; [ChemIDplus]

Category

Chelating Agents

Description

White odorless solid; [CAMEO] Off-white odorless powder; [MSDSonline]

Sources/Uses

Used as a sequestering agent, eluting agent (purification of rare-earth elements), boiler feed-water additive, and chelating agent (cleaning and separation of metals); Also used in textile processing, soaps, rubber, emulsion polymerization, water treatment, and pulp and paper processing; [HSDB]

Comments

A skin, eye, and respiratory tract irritant; A possible human carcinogen; [ICSC] An eye irritant; Nephrotoxic in experimental animals; No evidence of teratogenicity in rats, rabbits, or mice; Emergency treatment: "Oxalic acid"; Oxalic acid is an irritant that, after ingestion, may cause kidney damage, hypocalcemia, and hepatic necrosis; [HSDB] A skin and mild eye irritant; Not sensitizing to 66 volunteers (20% solution); Prolonged exposure causes tumors of the urinary tract at doses greater than those that are nephrotoxic to experimental animals; No evidence of mutagenicity or teratogenicity; [EC] Not teratogenic in mice, rats, or rabbits; Reportedly causes chromosome abnormalities in the germ cells of fruit flies and mice; [REPROTOX]

Biomedical References

7E-09 mm Hg

Possible (2b)

Anticipated human carcinogen

Processes

Industrial Processes with risk of exposure:

• Metal Extraction and Refining
• Pulp and Paper Processing
• Sewer and Wastewater Treatment
• Textiles (Fiber & Fabric Manufacturing)