Understanding Metal Problems

Trace metal ion contamination can make products unattractive, interfere with development or manufacturing processes, and make it harder to get products to market.Â In fact, metals contamination can create many problems that are mistakenly attributed to other causes. Just a few of these are spoilage and rancidity, discoloration, scale buildup, or undesirable and unexpected reactions. Review this table to learn about common symptoms of undesirable trace metals reactions in your product or process.

Common Symptoms of Undesirable Trace Metal Reactions in Your Product or Process

Application	Typical Symptoms	Benefits of Using Dow Chelating Agents
Agriculture
Chelated micronutrients Herbicides and pesticides	Plant problems associated with micronutrient deficiencies Poor performance of herbicides and pesticides in hard water	VERSENOLTM AG 4.5 Fe supplies trace iron which is vital to plant metabolism Excellent water solubility makes metal chelates more readily utilized by plants than the inorganic forms of the metals Stabilizes herbicides and pesticides when formulated or mixed with hard water
Cleaning Products
Household cleaning products Institutional cleaning products Industrial cleaners	Poor performance in hard water Poor foaming characteristics Poor rinsability Haze formation or precipitation Poor shelf life Discoloration Rancidity Need to reduce phosphate levels Poor performance of germicides Hard water stains Bathtub ring Dishwater spots	Better foaming, detergency, and rinsing in hard water Helps remove metal oxides and salts from fabrics Enhances shelf life by inhibiting rancidity, clouding and discoloration Improved consumer appeal and product value Improved germicidal action USDA approved for many indirect food uses (e.g., sanitizing solutions)
Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Other Personal Care Products
Creams and lotions Body washes Shampoos Conditioners Cosmetics Oral hygiene products Deodorants and body sprays Bar and liquid soaps Hair gel	Poor performance in hard water Poor rinsability Haze formation or precipitation Oxidation, rancidity, or off odors Viscosity shifts Poor shelf life Degradation of texture or appearance	Better lathering in shampoos and soaps, particularly in the presence of hard water Improved formulation clarity Improved shelf life and consumer appeal Prevents softening, brown spotting, and cracking in bar soaps Improves stability of fragrances, fats, oils, and other water-soluble ingredients
Food and Beverage
Beverages Dressing, sauces, and mayonnaise Canned vegetables (beans, potatoes, and mushrooms) Canned seafood (clams, crabmeat, and shrimp) Pickled products	Discoloration Rancidity Off-odors/off-flavors Precipitation Loss of clarity Deterioration of texture Crystal formation Shortened shelf life	Protects natural flavor, color, texture and nutritive value of food products Improves shelf life and consumer appeal Effective at low concentration, VERSENETM Food Grade EDTA is frequently more economical than citrates or phosphates
Metalworking
Surface preparation Metal cleaning Metal finishing and plating Metalworking fluids	Drag-in and contamination of succeeding plating baths Poor rinse solution performance at elevated temperatures Oxidation of cleaned iron or steel during storage Streaking after pickling Rough deposits, reduced efficiency, dulling, and unsuitable metal deposition during plating Rancidity and broken emulsions in metalworking fluids	Improved product performance in hard water Improved rinsability More consistent plating performance Improved high-temperature performance
Oil Field
Stimulation/Fracturing Scale control in casings and formations Enhanced oil recovery (boiler water treatment)	Formation plugging due to iron precipitation during acidizing and fracturing processes Scaling on well casings from brines normally coproduced with oil Scale buildup, precipitation, and plugging in enhanced oil recovery operations	Prevents plugging, sealing and precipitation by deactivating metal ions Effective over a wide temperature and pH range
Pharmaceuticals
Ocular care products Lotions Syrups and elixirs Pharmaceutical plant cleaners	Poor drug performance in the presence of hard water Reduced drug potency Color and flavor shifts Scaling and trace metal contamination in processing equipment	Deactivates metal ions that interfere with drug performance Provides protection for use with hard water Improved cleanliness of processing equipment VERSENETM Food- and Pharmaceutical Grade EDTA products comply with USP/NF/FCC requirements
Polymerization
Styrene-butadiene polymerization PVC polymerization Stabilization of polymer systems	Poor uniformity in polymerization rates Polymer buildup on reactor walls Coarse, off-grade polymer Polymer breakdown and discoloration Heat and light instability in polymer systems	Stable polymerization rates Reduced polymer buildup in reactors Improved suspending agent performance Improved polymer molecular weight distribution and particle size distribution Better polymer stability and shelf life
Pulp and Paper
Peroxide bleaching Hydrosulfite bleaching Kraft peroxide bleaching	Poor performance of hydrogen peroxide or hydrosulfite bleaches Problems meeting target brightness levels Excessive bleach usage Process scaling Brightness reversion in finished paper	Enhanced effectiveness of sodium sulfite Enhanced effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide and hydrosulfite bleach Higher brightness and/or lower bleaching costs Less need to overbleach to ensure specified brightness level Controls scaling and reduces costly downtime Water-soluble Dow Chelating Agents are ideal for pulping since water is the processing medium Dow Chelating Agents are approved for many indirect food uses (e.g., food wrap paper)
Scale Removal and Prevention
Boilers Evaporators Heat exchangers Filter cloths Glass-lined kettles	Scale deposits Reduced heat transfer efficiency Reduced flow rates	Removes existing scale deposits Works in combination with other materials to prevent scale formation
Soap and Detergents
Bar and solid soaps Laundry products Hand dishwashing liquids Commercial dishwashing formulations Carpet cleaners	Poor performance in hard water Poor rinsability Haze formation or precipitation Poor shelf life Discoloration Rancidity Poor stability of bleach-containing systems	Built-in water hardness protection Improved detergency Improved rinsability Solubility of insoluble metal soaps, salts and oxides Improved clarity of liquid products Reduced rancidity, discoloration and chalking catalyzed by metal ions Improved stability of peroxygen bleach-containing products Enhanced stability of colorants and perfumes
Textiles
Preparation Desizing Scouring Bleaching Dyeing	Poor performance of hydrogen peroxide bleach Fabric contaminated with deleterious materials Dye shade change	Deactivates metal ions that interfere with hydrogen peroxide performance Less need to overbleach to ensure specified brightness level Water soluble Dow Chelating Agents are ideal for metal ion control in textile processes Dye shade stability
Water Hardness
Boilers Heat Exchangers Evaporators Filter Cloths Piping Process Vessels	Scale deposits Frequent shutdowns for cleaning Reduced heat transfer efficiency	Dissolves common types of scale during normal operation Effective in off-line and on-line scale removal Improves process efficiency and reduces downtime Works over a wide range of temperatures, pH levels, and pressures

Understanding Metal Problems

Common Symptoms of Undesirable Trace Metal Reactions in Your Product or Process

Application

Typical Symptoms

Benefits of Using Dow Chelating Agents

Agriculture

Cleaning Products

Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Other Personal Care Products

Food and Beverage

Metalworking

Oil Field

Pharmaceuticals

Polymerization

Pulp and Paper

Scale Removal and Prevention

Soap and Detergents

Textiles

Water Hardness