Pronunciation: [t͡ʃɛlˈe͡ɪtə] (IPA) 
The spelling of the word "chelator" comes from the ancient Greek word for "claw," which is "chēlē." The suffix -ator means "one who does," so a chelator is someone or something that "does claws." In IPA phonetic transcription, "chelator" is spelled as /ˈkiːleɪtər/. The "ch" sound is pronounced like "k," the "e" is long, and the stress is on the second syllable. The "-or" ending rhymes with "tour."
A chelator is a chemical compound or substance that has the ability to bind to metal ions through the formation of covalent chemical bonds. These metal ions are typically transition metals or heavy metals, such as mercury, lead, iron, or copper. The process by which a chelator binds to a metal ion is known as chelation.
Chelators possess specific functional groups that enable them to form stable coordination complexes with metal ions. These functional groups, typically in the form of electron-donating oxygen or nitrogen atoms, create multiple bond sites on the chelator molecule. These bond sites can then interact with the metal ion, allowing for the formation of a chelate complex.
The formation of chelate complexes through chelation has various applications across different industries. In medicine, chelators are used to treat metal toxicity by sequestering and removing harmful metal ions from the body. In agriculture, chelators are employed to enhance the availability of essential metal nutrients for plants. Additionally, chelation therapy is used in analytical chemistry to selectively extract and concentrate specific metal ions from a sample for identification or quantification purposes.
Overall, chelators play a vital role in chemical and biological processes by facilitating the binding and control of metal ions, highlighting their versatility and importance in numerous scientific fields.
The word "chelator" is derived from the Greek word "chele" (χηλή), which means "claw" or "talon". It is based on the concept that certain chemicals, known as chelating agents, have the ability to bind to metal ions in a manner similar to how a claw or talon grips onto something. The suffix "-ator" has been added to indicate the action or agent relating to chelation. Hence, "chelator" refers to a substance that forms a stable complex with a metal ion by surrounding it and holding it firmly in its "claws".
