Chelating Agent

Pronunciation
/CHEHL-AYT-ing AGENT/
Category
Chemical Ecology
Singular
Chelating Agent
Plural
Chelating Agents

Definition

A chemical compound that binds to metal ions, forming a stable complex. Chelating agents can be used in entomology to study and analyze the role of metals in insect physiology, although their primary usage is broader, in fields like biochemistry and medicine.

Etymology

From the Greek word 'chele', meaning 'claw', referring to the claw-like manner in which the chelating agent binds to the metal ion.

Example

EDTA is a common chelating agent used to remove metal ions from biological samples.

Related Terms