EcoChel – Sustainable Production of Biodegradable Chelating Agents

EcoChel is developing an efficient, automated process for producing bio-based and biodegradable chelators from industrial and agricultural residues. Chelators are complexing agents that bind metal ions and are used, for example, as stabilizers in bleaching baths in the textile and pulp industries or as performance enhancers in cleaning agents for hard water.

The project focuses on glucaric acid and aldaric acids derived from cellulosic by-products of pulp production and from corn stover. This is intended to create new value chains, improve supply security, and shorten transport routes while reducing energy- and chemical-intensive processes.

EcoChel is built on two technological pillars: the further development of oscillating flow reactors for enzymatic processes, and the integration of an online control unit, including AI-supported optimization models, into batch and continuous reactors. The goal is an intensified, robust, and resource-efficient production process validated through application tests.