BDTH2
Encyclopedia
BDTH2 is a powerful chelation
agent that is marketed as a dietary supplement
to parents of children with autism
, and can be used to separate heavy metals from mining drainage and other polluted soil.
with isophthaloyl dichloride to give the desired amide
:
s, and can be used either as-is or in the form of sodium or potassium salts that are more soluble in water. BDTH2 costs less than $0.25 per gram
when made in a laboratory, and is less expensive when made in large quantities. It is non-toxic by comparison to other mercury treatment technologies.
BDTH2 binds to mercury with a strong, nonpolar covalent bond within a water-insoluble organic framework. The resulting BDT–Hg precipitate is stable, and leaches mercury only under highly acidic or basic conditions. BDTH2 also binds to other elements, including arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, and selenium. It is effective and economical for removing small traces of mercury from polluted soil, as the precipitate is inert and can be left in the soil after treatment.
to parents of children with autism
, even though clinical study has shown that chelation therapy
has no beneficial effect. The FDA determined that BDTH2 is a drug rather than a supplement and issued a warning, resulting in its removal from the market.
Chelation
Chelation is the formation or presence of two or more separate coordinate bonds between apolydentate ligand and a single central atom....
agent that is marketed as a dietary supplement
Dietary supplement
A dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids, that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities in a person's diet...
to parents of children with autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
, and can be used to separate heavy metals from mining drainage and other polluted soil.
Preparation
This compound may be prepared by reacting cysteamineCysteamine
Cysteamine is the chemical compound with the formula HSCH2CH2NH2. It is the simplest stable aminothiol and a degradation product of the amino acid cysteine. It is often used as the hydrochloride salt, HSCH2CH2NH3Cl....
with isophthaloyl dichloride to give the desired amide
Amide
In chemistry, an amide is an organic compound that contains the functional group consisting of a carbonyl group linked to a nitrogen atom . The term refers both to a class of compounds and a functional group within those compounds. The term amide also refers to deprotonated form of ammonia or an...
:
Industrial use
Along with its derivatives, BDTH2 can remove mercury from water for industrial applications under a wide range of conditions, including the high pH and cyanide of the effluent from gold mining. In industrial use, BDTH2 is easy to make, does not form disulfideDisulfide
In chemistry, a disulfide usually refers to the structural unit composed of a linked pair of sulfur atoms. Disulfide usually refer to a chemical compound that contains a disulfide bond, such as diphenyl disulfide, C6H5S-SC6H5....
s, and can be used either as-is or in the form of sodium or potassium salts that are more soluble in water. BDTH2 costs less than $0.25 per gram
Gram
The gram is a metric system unit of mass....
when made in a laboratory, and is less expensive when made in large quantities. It is non-toxic by comparison to other mercury treatment technologies.
BDTH2 binds to mercury with a strong, nonpolar covalent bond within a water-insoluble organic framework. The resulting BDT–Hg precipitate is stable, and leaches mercury only under highly acidic or basic conditions. BDTH2 also binds to other elements, including arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, and selenium. It is effective and economical for removing small traces of mercury from polluted soil, as the precipitate is inert and can be left in the soil after treatment.
Marketing as dietary supplement
BDTH2 had been marketed under the name OSR#1 as a dietary supplementDietary supplement
A dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids, that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities in a person's diet...
to parents of children with autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
, even though clinical study has shown that chelation therapy
Chelation therapy
Chelation therapy is the administration of chelating agents to remove heavy metals from the body. For the most common forms of heavy metal intoxication—those involving lead, arsenic or mercury—the standard of care in the United States dictates the use of dimercaptosuccinic acid...
has no beneficial effect. The FDA determined that BDTH2 is a drug rather than a supplement and issued a warning, resulting in its removal from the market.