Antimicrobial efficiency boost via chelating agents

Increasing the permeability of microbial cells to biocides by EDTA helps to optimise the stabilisation. To avoid the environmental discussion about chelating agents, readily biodegradable alternatives to EDTA are indispensable. The antimicrobial stabilisation of multifunctional additives in combination with chelating agents were tested in different cosmetic formulations. The readily biodegradable chelating agent tetrasodium glutamate diacetate shows good performance in reducing the use concentration of sensiva SC 10, sensiva PA 20, sensiva PA 30 and sensiva PA 40 to pass antimicrobial effectiveness testing.

The microbial safety of cosmetic products is an important consideration. It is integral to ensuring the stability of the products for the entire shelf-life and to preventing damage to health of the consumers. The continuing discussion of cosmetic preservatives has limited the number of accepted actives that can be practically used. Over-dosing of antimicrobial actives becomes more clearly a regulatory affair if it results in an adverse risk assessment. The incentive to make biocides more effective at lower concentrations becomes more and more important. The efficacy of EDTA is generally known,1 and a modern readily biodegradable chelating agent can replace it.2

The use of chelating agents in cosmetics