Neutrol® MGDA

Biodegradable Complexing Agent for

Personal Care Applications
Neutrol® MGDA

Introducing Complexing Agents

Sustainability Aspects

Market Overview

Technical Information
Neutrol® MGDA
Introducing Complexing Agents
Complexing agents are used in cosmetics products to complex metal ions and thus inactivate them

Complexing agents (also called chelating agents or sequestrants) are substances that
can form strong complexes with metal ions and thus inactivate them.

By this means they significantly reduce the negative influences of heavy metal ions like
iron or copper which can accelerate the oxidative deterioration of cosmetic
formulations and the incompatibility of calcium or magnesium ions with some
ingredients.

Origins of metal ions in cosmetic products are process water, raw materials and
production equipment (vessels, tubes).

EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) and its salts (Disodium EDTA, Trisodium EDTA,
Tetrasodium EDTA) and HEDP (Etidronic acid) are the most used chelating agents but
they have a poor biodegradability.
Metal MGDA complex 3D picture

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Neutrol® MGDA

Introducing Complexing Agents

Sustainability Aspects

Market Overview

Technical Information
Neutrol® MGDA
Sustainability Aspects
Neutrol® MGDA is the sustainable solution under the complexing agents for the cosmetics products

Due to the poor biodegradability of other complexing agents in the market, producers of
cosmetic products are looking for biodegradable alternatives.

 is readily biodegradable*
 has an excellent ecological and toxicological profile
Neutrol®  is 43% derived from natural, renewable feedstock
MGDA
 is cold processable
 does not contain preservative

The products supplied by BASF conform to stringent standards with respect to their
toxicological and ecotoxicological properties in order to provide protection of human and the
environment.

5 *based on OECD standards. This means that Neutrol® MGDA, in such a test, for example, is degraded into water and its mineral components by the
microorganisms present in wastewater treatment plants.
Neutrol® MGDA
Biodegradable Ingredients
Biodegradable ingredients are continuously gaining more importance in the market

25% Recent innovations have included refill

concepts, waterless and upcycled
of US BPC consumers agree that they formulas, biodegradable or durable
would be willing to pay more for products alternatives to cleansing wipes and
that use sustainable ingredients monodose glass ampoules.

Base: internet users aged 16+ who have bought beauty and personal care products in the last 6 months
(France: 957; Germany: 980; Italy:983; Spain:993)
Source: Lightspeed/Mintel

6 Source: Mintel report: Ingredient Trends in Beauty and Personal Care: Incl Impact of COVID-19 – US, October 2020
Neutrol® MGDA
Biodegradable Claim - Global
Biodegradable complexing agents are clearly gaining more importance in the market

Biodegradable claim in products using

200 complexing agents
182
180 Biodegradability claim in beauty and
160 133%
155 personal care formulations (that includes
complexing agents) have increased from
Total NPL*: 627 products

140
123
120 2015 to 2019 by 133%.
100 89
78
80
Neutrol® MGDA could increase the
60
percentage of biodegradability in
40
these formulations.
20

0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

7 *New product launch | Source: Mintel GNPD: not considering ingredients listed as chelating but not complexing metal ions like Cyclodextrins or Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Neutrol® MGDA

Introducing Complexing Agents

Sustainability Aspects

Market Overview

Technical Information
Neutrol® MGDA
Complexing Agents Used in Cosmetic Products - Global

Products* using complexing agents by categories

60%

50%

Skincare
40%
Percent per year

Soap & Bath Products

Hair Products
30%
Colour Cosmetics

Deodorants
20%
Fragrances

Shaving & Depilatories

10%

0%
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Total NPL*: 78 238 products

9 *New product launch | Source: Mintel GNPD: not considering ingredients listed as chelating but not complexing metal ions like Cyclodextrins or Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Neutrol® MGDA
Top 10 Complexing Agents Used in Cosmetic Products - Global

70%

60%
Disodium EDTA (Non-Food)
50% Tetrasodium EDTA (Non-Food)
Tetrasodium Etidronate
Percent per year

40% Etidronic Acid

Trisodium EDTA
30% EDTA (Non-Food)
Pentasodium Pentetate
20% Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Gluconate (Non-Food)
10% Sodium Phytate

0%
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

10 Source: Mintel GNPD: not considering ingredients listed as chelating but not complexing metal ions like Cyclodextrins or Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Neutrol® MGDA

Introducing Complexing Agents

Sustainability Aspects

Market Overview

Technical Information
Neutrol® MGDA
Technical Profile
Neutrol® MGDA is a readily biodegradable, highly stable complexing agent.

Logarithms of the
chelate formation constants (log K*) INCI Name Trisodium Dicarboxymethyl Alaninate
Metal Ion MGDA EDTA Chemical Name Methylglycindiacetic Acid
Ba2+ 4,9 7,9 Sustainability Excellent ecological and toxicological profile
Ca2+ 7,0 10,7 Biodegradability Readily biodegradable
Cd2+ 10,6 16,5
ECO status 43 % derived from natural, renewable feedstocks
Co2+ 11,1 16,5
Cu2+ 13,9 18,8 Molecular weight 271 g·mol−1
Fe2+ 8,1 14,3 Solubility (water) 590 g·dm−3 (25°C)
Fe3+ 16,5 25,1
Appearance Fine yellow powder at room temperature
Mg2+ 5,8 8,8
Mn2+ 8,4 13,9 Formulation Cold processable, easy to formulate
Ni2+ 12,0 18,4 Recommended use level 0.05 – 0.5%
Pb2+ 12,1 18,0
Preservative No
Sr2+ 5,2 8,7
Zn2+ 10,9 16,5 Active matter 85%-88%
NTA (Nitriloacetic acid) 0.1%

12 *A high log K indicates the chelating power is high for that particular metal ion, and thus only a small fraction of free metal ions remain.
Neutrol® MGDA
Chemical Nature

Neutrol® MGDA is the trisodium salt of methylglycinediacetic

acid (MGDA-Na3).

Methylglycinediacetic acid is also referred to as alpha-

alaninediacetic acid.

Methylglycinediacetic acid is an aminocarboxylic acid containing

four functional groups, that can chelate metal ions.
MGDA Metal MGDA complex 3D picture

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Neutrol® MGDA
Chemical Stability

It is highly stable compared with other organic complexing agents (e.g., citric
acid, tartaric acid, gluconate), especially at high temperatures.

It is neither decomposed by strong acids nor by strong bases.

It is sufficiently stable to hydrogen peroxide.

Generally, stabilizes multivalent metal ions and might accelerate the dissolving
behavior of metals through chelate formation.

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 Neutrol® MGDA at a glance
A readily biodegradable
complexing agent that is used in
cosmetics products to complex metal
ions and thus inactivate them

• Strong complexes are formed with

metal ions and thus inactivates them.
• Highly stable complexing agent.
• Cold processable, easy to formulate.

• Readily biodegradable
• 43 % derived from natural,
renewable feedstocks
• Excellent ecological and
toxicological profile
• Nordic Ecolabel conform
Disclaimer

“This document, or any answers or information provided herein by BASF, does not constitute a legally binding obligation of BASF.
While the descriptions, designs, data and information contained herein are presented in good faith and believed to be accurate, it
is provided for your guidance only. Because many factors may affect processing or application/use, we recommend that you make
tests to determine the suitability of a product for your particular purpose prior to use. It does not relieve our customers from the
obligation to perform a full inspection of the products upon delivery or any other obligation. NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND,
EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE, ARE MADE REGARDING PRODUCTS DESCRIBED OR DESIGNS, DATA OR INFORMATION SET FORTH, OR
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