Is Disodium EDTA safe in cosmetics?
Disodium EDTA has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 3 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Disodium EDTA
Also known as: Glycine, N,N'-1,2-ethanediylbis[N-(carboxymethyl)-, disodium salt, CBC 50152966, Cheladrate, Disodium dihydrogen(ethylenedinitrilo)tetraacetate, Disodium edta, anhydrous (+15 more)
INCI: DISODIUM EDTA
Disodium EDTA (CAS 139-33-3) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Chelating agent; metal ion sequestrant; preservative booster. Reported NOAEL =954 mg/kg bw/day in Rat (ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 139-33-3 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Chelating agent; metal ion sequestrant; preservative booster
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
CIR Expert Panel concluded safe as used (2002, reaffirmed). GRAS as indirect food additive per 21 CFR 172.120 and 173.315. No pre-market FDA approval required for cosmetic use.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Disodium EDTA.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
3 study endpoints found for Disodium EDTA. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.
| Endpoint | Value | Route | Species | Study Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =954 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | developmental | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =1000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | reproduction developmental | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =1125 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | subchronic | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Disodium EDTA, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
0.2-1%
Penetration Level
surface
Penetration Depth
surface only
Molecular Weight
336.2 Da
Log P
-5.8
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
0.1-0.5%
Safety Margin Factor
minimal
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation
Source: CIR
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
10 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD50 | =3735 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| LD50 | =3690 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| LD50 | =2800 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| LEL | ~30 mg/m3 | Rat | inhalation | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| LOAEC | =30 mg/m3 | Rat | inhalation | short-term | ECHA IUCLID |
| LOAEC | =15 mg/m3 | Rat | inhalation | acute | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOAEC | >15 mg/m3 | Rat | inhalation | acute | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOAEC | =3 mg/m3 | Rat | inhalation | acute | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =1000 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =1000 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
1,000 - 10,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | 0.05–0.2 | 0.5 | CIR/VCRP |
| Face Cream | 0.05–0.1 | 0.2 | CIR/VCRP |
| Body Lotion | 0.05–0.1 | 0.2 | CIR/VCRP |
Additional Ingredient Properties
8 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
baby_pediatric
{"cas_number": "139-33-3", "ingredient_class": "other", "pediatric_safety_rating": "good", "minimum_age_months": "6", "neonatal_safe": "yes", "premature_infant_safe": "insufficient_data", "skin_barrier_maturity_consideration": "Disodium salt, chelator", "transepidermal_absorption_risk_pediatric": "low", "systemic_exposure_concern_pediatric": "low", "dose_per_kg_body_weight_concern": "Chelator/buff…
deodorant
{"cas_number": "139-33-3", "ingredient_class": "other", "mechanism_of_action": "metal_ion_chelation", "antiperspirant_efficacy_sweat_reduction_pct": "0", "deodorant_efficacy_hours": "0", "odor_reduction_pct": "0", "bacteriostatic": "no", "bactericidal": "no", "microbiome_impact": "neutral", "axillary_microbiome_effect": "varies by ingredient", "MIC_value_if_antimicrobial": "varies", "astringency_l…
dermal_absorption
{"molecular_weight_da": "336.2", "log_p_value": "-5.8", "skin_penetration_level": "surface", "penetration_depth": "surface only", "absorption_pct": "0.2-1", "systemic_absorption": "minimal", "penetration_enhancer": "no", "occlusion_effect": "no", "vehicle_dependent": "yes", "skin_barrier_effect": "neutral", "bioavailability_topical_pct": "0.1-0.5", "safety_margin_factor": "minimal", "source": "CIR…
pediatric_safety
{"safe_for_newborn_0_6m": "yes", "safe_for_infant_6_12m": "yes", "safe_for_toddler_1_3y": "yes", "safe_for_child_3_12y": "yes", "safe_for_teen_12_18y": "yes", "pediatric_max_concentration_pct": "0.5", "adult_max_concentration_pct": "0.5", "pediatric_dermal_absorption_factor": "minimal", "diaper_area_safe": "yes", "pediatric_allergy_prevalence": "low", "banned_in_children_products_eu": "no", "banne…
ph_stability
{"optimal_ph_min": "4.0", "optimal_ph_max": "10.0", "stable_ph_min": "3.5", "stable_ph_max": "11.0", "ph_dependent_function": "Most common EDTA salt", "formulation_note": "Chelates metals; boosts preservation", "source": "PMC 2023"}
preservative
{"preservative_class": "Chelator", "antimicrobial_spectrum_bacteria_gp": "No", "antimicrobial_spectrum_bacteria_gn": "No", "antimicrobial_spectrum_yeast": "No", "antimicrobial_spectrum_mold": "No", "challenge_test_pass_concentration_pct": "0.01-0.5", "optimal_pH_range": "3.0-11.0", "pH_dependent_efficacy": "Very low", "water_activity_threshold": "0.92", "oil_soluble_or_water_soluble": "Water-solub…
regulatory
{"eu_status": "allowed", "us_status": "allowed"}
uv_stability
{"uv_stable": "yes", "uv_degradation_rate": "stable", "photosensitizer": "no", "phototoxic": "no", "photoallergic": "no", "requires_uv_protection_packaging": "no", "color_change_uv": "no", "odor_change_uv": "no", "efficacy_loss_uv_pct": "0", "spf_contribution": "no", "uva_protection": "no", "uvb_protection": "no", "photostable_sunscreen": "no", "boost_spf_of_others": "no", "antioxidant_under_uv": …
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Antioxidant
Biocide
Chelating agent
Flavouring and nutrient
Preservative
Surfactant (surface active agent)
Viscosity modifier
Regulatory List Membership (3)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
EU Restricted for Children (Cosmetics)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Disodium EDTA.
Regulatory Flags
cir-approved
eu-permitted
penetration-enhancer
not-biodegradable
cosmos-prohibited
eco-concern
hard-water-stable
eu_children_restricted
fda_food_additive
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Disodium EDTA by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
3
Lowest NOAEL
954 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
1125 mg/kg bw/day
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
Known Synonyms
Glycine, N,N'-1,2-ethanediylbis[N-(carboxymethyl)-, disodium salt
CBC 50152966
Cheladrate
Disodium dihydrogen(ethylenedinitrilo)tetraacetate
Disodium edta, anhydrous
Disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
Disodium (ethylenedinitrilo)tetraacetic acid
Disodium salt of EDTA
Diso-Tate
Edetic acid disodium salt
EINECS 205-358-3
N,N'-1,2-Ethanediylbis(N-(carboxymethyl)glycine) disodium salt
Ethylenebis(iminodiacetic acid) disodium salt
(Ethylenedinitrilo)-tetraacetic acid disodium salt
Kiresuto B
NSC 2760
Perma kleer 50 crystals disodium salt
Selekton B 2
Sequestrene sodium 2
Veresene disodium salt
Chemical Function
Chelating agent
Regulatory Lists
children; Europe; Personal care
children; Europe; Personal care - specialized bath products - bubble bath
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care - oral and dental care - teeth whitener
Europe; Personal care - oral and dental care - teeth whitener
Europe; Personal care - oral and dental care - teeth whitener
Europe; Personal care - oral and dental care - teeth whitener
fracking; water
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical and food safety data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
EDETATE DISODIUM ANHYDROUS
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1749
Max Phase
4
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Disodium EDTA
E Number
E386
ADI
2.5 mg/kg bw
Food Category
flavor_enhancer
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Disodium EDTA allowed in the EU?
Disodium EDTA EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Disodium EDTA do in cosmetics?
Disodium EDTA functions as: Chelating agent; metal ion sequestrant; preservative booster. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 139-33-3.
What is the NOAEL for Disodium EDTA?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Disodium EDTA is =954 mg/kg bw/day based on a developmental study via oral route in Rat. A total of 3 study endpoints are available. Source: ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID.
Is Disodium EDTA used outside cosmetics?
Disodium EDTA also appears in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Disodium EDTA compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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Substance Compliance
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MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
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