Citric and Glutamic Acid Chelation for Micronutrient Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural compositions often result in micronutrients becoming insoluble solids when combined with phosphate salts, leading to reduced effectiveness and equipment fouling, and the use of EDTA as a chelating agent is not universally accepted.
Innovation Solution
A composition comprising citric acid and glutamic acid at specific molar ratios is used to chelate metal salts, preventing them from forming insoluble solids with phosphate, thereby enhancing stability and compatibility with pesticides and fertilizers, without relying on EDTA.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If EDTA is used as a chelating compound to prevent phosphate from binding to metal ions, then micronutrient stability is improved, but metal ion reactivity is reduced and environmental acceptance is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces organic acids (citric acid, gluconic acid, lactic acid) and amino acids (glutamic acid, aspartic acid) as intermediary chelating agents that mediate between phosphate salts and metal ions. These natural chelators form stable complexes with metal ions while maintaining their reactivity and avoiding the environmental restrictions associated with EDTA, thus serving as acceptable intermediaries that resolve the contradiction between stability and environmental acceptance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the chelating agent from synthetic EDTA to natural organic and amino acids. This parameter change maintains the chelating function and micronutrient stability while improving environmental acceptance and plant compatibility, effectively resolving the contradiction through substitution with chemically similar but environmentally superior alternatives
2Productivity
If phosphate salts are used in pesticides, then pesticidal activity is improved, but micronutrients are converted to insoluble solids reducing their effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-chelating metal ions with organic acids or amino acids before they encounter phosphate salts in the pesticide formulation. This preliminary complexation prevents phosphate from binding to metal ions and forming insoluble precipitates, thereby maintaining micronutrient solubility and effectiveness while allowing phosphate to perform its pesticidal function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful interaction between phosphate and metal ions (which causes precipitation) into a beneficial system where organic acids or amino acids compete for metal ion binding. The phosphate-micronutrient incompatibility is transformed into a multi-component chelation system where natural chelators protect metal ions from phosphate-induced precipitation, turning a harmful effect into a stable, effective formulation
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural spray may be produced by admixing citric acid and glutamic acid with a metal salt and a pesticide or other agricultural chemical containing components capable of precipitating with the metal salt in the admixture. The citric acid and the glutamic acid chelate with the metal salt to provide a stability and compatibility-enhancing composition, thereby preventing the metal salt from forming an insoluble solid within the admixture. Such a composition may be produced by admixing citric acid and glutamic acid at a molar ratio of about 6.8:0.5 to about 1:0.29. The composition may include a metal sat, citric acid and glutamic acid in a molar ratio of about 1:6.8:0.5 to about 1:1:0.29 and a pesticide.