EDDS in the yard and garden

What is edds?

The IUPAC name is [S,S]-ethylenediamine-N,N'-disuccinic acid.

Also known as: [S,S]-ethylenediamine-N,N'-disuccinic acid, [S,S]-EDDS, ethylenediamine-N,N'-disuccinic acid, biodegradable EDTA alternative.

IUPAC name

[S,S]-ethylenediamine-N,N'-disuccinic acid

CAS number

20846-91-7

Molecular formula

C10H14N2Na2O8

Molecular weight

316.22 g/mol

SMILES

CCC1C2CC3C4C5(CC(C2C5C(=O)OCCl)N3C1O)C6=CC=CC=C6N4C

PubChem CID

92090

Regulatory consensus

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified EDDS. The classifications differ — that's the data.

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where your yard encounter edds

• cosmetics
• skincare products
• phytoremediation
• soil treatment

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to EDDS:

• GLDA (tetrasodium glutamate diacetate) — readily biodegradable chelator
  Trade-offs: Extremely mild (pH 5.5-6.5); biodegradable; derived from amino acids and fatty acids; premium ingredient cost; excellent consumer perception; lower foam volume than sulfate surfactants.
  Relative cost: 1.2-2×
• Citric acid — food-grade, naturally occurring
  Trade-offs: Alternative chelating agent; stability constants for target metal ions differ; biodegradability varies (EDTA poorly biodegradable, citrate fully biodegradable); downstream water treatment impact should be assessed.
  Relative cost: 2-5× conventional
• MGDA (methylglycinediacetic acid) — high biodegradability
  Trade-offs: Alternative chelating agent; stability constants for target metal ions differ; biodegradability varies (EDTA poorly biodegradable, citrate fully biodegradable); downstream water treatment impact should be assessed.
  Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions