Optimization of Chelates Production Process for Agricultural Administration of Inorganic Micronutrients

The iron chlorosis is one of the most diffused plant disease, which affects their growth and reduces the yield of harvests. This disease is caused by the iron deficiency and it is highlighted by the progressive yellowing of plants due to the reduction of chlorophyll production. The most efficient and diffused therapy against the iron chlorosis is the use of chelating agents and, among them, the o,o-EDDHA/Fe3+, the most stable isomer of EDDHA, is the most used due to its capacity to guarantee a prolonged treatment. The aim of this work is to develop a production process environment friendly, based on the recovering and recycling of organic solvents to minimize the waste produced. The feed organic solvents ratio has been varied evaluating the synthesis yield and the percentage of o,o-EDDHA/Fe3+ produced to identify the best feeding conditions. Several products have been then tested on lettuce plants to determine their usability.