Tetrasodium iminodisuccinate

• Derived from: plants
• Pronunciation: (\ˈte-trə-sō-dē-əm\ ˈi-mə-ˌnō-ˈdī-ˈsək-sə-ˌnāt\)
• Type: Naturally-derived

What Is Tetrasodium iminodisuccinate?

Tetrasodium iminodisuccinate is a plant-derived water softener.^[1,2]

What Does Tetrasodium iminodisuccinate Do in Our products?

Tetrasodium iminodisuccinate acts as a rinsing aid. It is found in sunscreen, nail polish remover, and other products.^[3] It is also found in detergents and other cleaning products.^[4]

Why Puracy Uses Tetrasodium iminodisuccinate

We use tetrasodium iminodisuccinate as a water softener in several of our products because it temporarily reduces the surface tension of water, creating a sheeting effect and helping make suds and grime rinse away quickly and completely. This reduces reduces the number of mineral deposits left to dry on surfaces, reduces the need to rinse repeatedly to get soap off, and reduces water consumption. Research shows the ingredient is not a strong skin irritant^.[7,8,9]

How Tetrasodium iminodisuccinate Is Made

Tetrasodium iminodisuccinate is a water softener, also known as a chelating agent. The term chelate is from the Greek word for “claw.”^[5] Metal organic acid chelates are made by reacting a metal ion from a soluble metal salt with an organic acid or its salt. For example, amino acid chelates have generally been made by reacting one or more amino acids, dipeptides, and polypeptides or protein hydrolisate ligands in an aqueous environment under appropriate conditions that cause the interaction between the metal and amino acids to form an amino acid chelates. Organic acid chelates have been generally made by reaction using either amino acids, picolinic, nicotinic acids, or hydroxycarboxcylic acids.^[6]

Sources

^[1] Environmental Working Group
^[2] U.S. National Library of Medicine
^[3] Environmental Working Group
^[4] Environmental Working Group
^[5] Robinett, A., Schauble, C. "Method of manufacturing citric acid chelates"
^[6] Trusovs, S. "Method for preparation of metal organic acid chelates"
^[7] EVIC Romania. “Human repeat insult patch test with challenge of an eye gel with 0.2% aspartic acid.” Study Number: Pn 172/07-2807/ER 07/110-9/07-0876. Unpublished data submitted by the Personal Care Products Council; 2007
^[8] EVIC Romania. “Human repeat insult patch test with challenge of a face lotion with 0.2% aspartic acid.” Study Reference: Po 226/09-2779/ER/156/08-1532. Unpublished data submitted by the Personal Care Products Council; 2008
^[9] Clinical Research Laboratories, Inc. “Summary of an HRIPT of a leave-on hair masque containing 0.92% aspartic acid.” Unpublished data submitted by Personal Care Products Council; 2010:2