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Disodium Edetate (EDTA-2Na) BP EP USP Pharma Grade: Detailed Guide

What is Disodium Edetate (EDTA-2Na)?

Disodium Edetate, often called EDTA-2Na, stands out in pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturing. Known by its chemical formula C10H14N2Na2O8·2H2O, this compound acts as a powerful chelating agent, binding metal ions and keeping them from messing up sensitive processes. In the lab, it serves to mop up unwanted calcium or magnesium ions, stopping them from interfering with chemical reactions or pharmaceutical formulations. The HS Code usually linked to EDTA-2Na is 29212100, which readers in regulatory or trade circles might find crucial for customs or compliance documents.

Physical Characteristics and Structure

EDTA-2Na typically shows up as a white, odorless solid, but it goes beyond just powder. Depending on handling requirements and raw material sources, you might come across it in the form of flakes, fine powder, pearls, crystals, or even as a ready-to-use solution. Its structure, as a derivative of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, gives it the property of having two sodium ions attached, boosting water solubility and making it easier for industry workers to dissolve it into pharmaceutical solutions. The material’s specific gravity sits close to 0.86 g/cm3 in solid form, yet in its dissolved state as a liquid or solution, density rises according to the concentration mixed. You see engineers and pharmaceutical technicians reaching for the specific type—a high-purity crystal for injectable grade, or a stable powder for tablet processing—depending on what their process needs.

Properties and Specifications

Key features stem from EDTA-2Na’s chemical makeup. With a molecular weight of 372.24 g/mol, this molecule reliably forms stable complexes with ions like Fe3+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Zn2+. This ability helps drug manufacturers control reactions more tightly, especially where unwanted metal ions would throw off yields or potency. The product’s specifications call for high purity—above 99% for pharma grade—and low moisture content, typically below 11%. These numbers don’t just end up on a certificate; they shape whether a batch can pass safety checks or regulatory inspections or gets rejected as out-of-spec. Color must remain white or nearly white, with minimal visible particulate, since any off-color hints at contamination or mishandling. Clarity becomes important if the product gets dissolved for use directly or as a base for further reactions.

Chemical Safety, Hazards, and Handling

Many in research and industrial plants trust EDTA-2Na as a safe and essential tool, but its chemical nature warrants respect. Direct contact with powders or solutions may irritate skin and eyes, so gloves, goggles, and even face shields come into play on the workbench. Inhalation of dust can cause respiratory discomfort, and eating this chemical causes digestive issues—both reasons for strict training and safety signage around storage areas. Classified as harmful, not acutely toxic, the product needs safe disposal through chemical waste handling. Even used in small concentrations in finished pharmaceutical tablets, rigorous cleanup and storage guidance exist to prevent environmental contamination or accidental mixing with incompatible chemicals like strong acids or oxidizers. Safety Data Sheets (SDS) spell out those steps, and good practice includes ventilation, spill kits, and secondary containment for bulk material in warehouses.

Application as Raw Material in the Pharmaceutical Industry

In the pharma world, EDTA-2Na acts more like quiet muscle than a headline ingredient. Its ability to grab and neutralize metal ions proves crucial in preserving the potency of drugs, extending shelf life, and stopping reactions from spinning out of control in solution or suspension. I’ve watched product quality skyrocket when manufacturers switched to a tighter specification for EDTA-2Na because metal contamination often sneaks in from water or process equipment. Tablets depend on its presence to keep actives stable, parenteral solutions stay clear and potent longer, and even laboratory diagnostics rely on EDTA’s chelating ability. At every step, the purity, particle size, and form—be it solid, flake, or liquid—impact blending, solubility, and accuracy during weighing. Handling the substance as a raw material requires careful tracking and stock rotation; a missed quality check on incoming EDTA-2Na can ruin entire production batches worth thousands of doses.

Meeting Industry Standards: BP, EP, USP Grades

Drug regulators worldwide, such as the European Pharmacopoeia (EP), British Pharmacopoeia (BP), and United States Pharmacopeia (USP), demand rigor in sourcing Disodium Edetate as a pharmaceutical ingredient. These pharmacopeias lay out expectations on purity, limits for heavy metals and impurities, loss on drying, and solubility requirements. Meeting those benchmarks isn’t window dressing—it means patient safety and confidence in drug performance. Shipment documentation, lab test reports, and supplier certifications all play into tracking compliance. When companies try to cut corners, gaps in grade or quality quickly translate to recalls or regulatory warnings. Solid, transparent batch documentation with traceable source material and test methods serves teams across continents, from QA analysts verifying a shipment to pharmacists preparing injectable drugs by hand.

Addressing Challenges and Solutions in Safe Handling

Bulk storage of Disodium Edetate brings its own stress points. Moisture from air causes clumping or caking, which makes handling powder forms tough and lowers accuracy during weighing. Polyethylene-lined drums or high-barrier packaging give real improvements by keeping the product free-flowing and consistent. Training on dust control, spot-cleaning with approved solvents, and quick response to spills becomes second nature for warehouses or production staff. Wastewater treatment at sites using EDTA-2Na also deserves real attention, since its chelating power can carry residual metals into the environment. Treatment plants use processes like oxidation or advanced filtration to break down or remove both the reagent and the metals it binds. For companies investing in green practices, closed-loop systems—where possible—let teams reuse water or solvents, saving money and reducing local environmental impact.

Conclusion on Importance in Modern Pharmaceutical Operations

EDTA-2Na shapes many behind-the-scenes victories in pharmaceutical production and scientific research. By working as both a safeguard and problem-solver, it lets companies deliver purer, longer-lasting medicines and research tools. Its chemistry, specification, density, form, and safe handling all influence success or failure in meeting modern drug safety standards. My experience shows that clear knowledge and transparent controls around this single ingredient often prevent large-scale production headaches and regulatory headaches. As tighter drug standards grow around the world, keeping a watchful eye on raw material quality, safety data, and best practices with EDTA-2Na is not just smart policy—it is the backbone of modern pharmaceutical care.