Sodium Metaphosphate

A sodium salt that captures heavy metal ions and raises the pH.
Functions
Origin
Sodium Metaphosphate

Overview

Sodium metaphosphate is a sodium salt of a cyclic structure composed of several phosphates bonded together.

The cyclic structure makes this ingredient useful as a chelating agent, which is a specific type of molecule that can surround and disarm potentially harmful heavy metal ions that are commonly found in water.

In addition, sodium metaphosphate is an alkaline compound, which means it is basic on the pH scale. As a result, it has a pH greater than 7.0 and will increase the pH of an acidic solution. Increasing the pH can be a critical processing step for the successful incorporation of many ingredients, including thickeners like hydroxyethylcellulose.