Occurrence of aminopolycarboxylates in the aquatic environment of Germany

Aminopolycarboxylic acids, such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), 1,3-propylenediaminetetraacetic acid (1,3-PDTA), β-alaninediacetic acid (β-ADA), and methylglycinediacetic acid (MGDA), are used in large quantities in a broad range of industrial applications and domestic products in order to solubilize or inactivate various metal ions by complex formation. Due to the wide field of their application, their high polarity and partly low degradability, these substances reach the aquatic environment at considerable concentrations (in the μg/L-range) and have also been detected in drinking water. This review evaluates and summarizes the results of long-term research projects, monitoring programs, and published papers concerning the pollution of the aquatic environment by aminopolycarboxylates in Germany. Concentrations and loads of aminopolycarboxylates are presented for various types of water including industrial and domestic waste waters, surface waters (rivers and lakes), raw waters, and drinking waters.