| abstract |
Disclosed is a biodegradable chelating agent which comprises a compound of the following formula [1] and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of aspartic acid, maleic acid, acrylic acid, malic acid, glycine, glycolic acid, iminodiacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, α-alanine, β-alanine, iminodipropionic acid, fumaric acid, a synthetic starting amino acid and a synthetic intermediate amino acid and a salt thereof in an amount of 8% by weight or less based on the compound of the formula [1]:n wherein R 1 represents hydrogen or an unsubstituted or substituted hydrocarbon group of 1-10 carbon atoms, R 2 represents hydrogen or an unsubstituted or substituted hydrocarbon group of 1-8 carbon atoms, R 1 and R 2 may form a ring together, the substituent which can be present in R 1 and R 2 is at least one member selected from the group consisting of -OH, -CO 2 M and -SO 3 M where M represents hydrogen or an alkali metal; X representsn n where R 3 represents hydrogen or an unsubstituted or substituted hydrocarbon group of 1-8 carbon atoms, the substituent is at least one member selected from the group consisting of -OH, -CO 2 M and -SO 3 M, R 4 represents at least one member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, -CO 2 M and -SO 3 M, A 1 and A 2 each represent at least one member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, CO 2 M and SO 3 M, A 5 represents an alkylene group of 1-8 carbon atoms which may be of straight chain or branched chain or may form a ring, the alkylene group may contain in the chain an ether bond -O-, an ester bond -COO- or an amide bond -CONH-, M represents hydrogen or an alkali metal, and n represents an integer of 1-8; and Y represents at least one member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, CO 2 M and SO 3 M. |