Amino polycarboxylic acid compounds as oxygen scavengers

An oxygen scavenging composition comprising a carrier which is permeable to both oxygen and water or water vapor and an oxygen scavenging material consisting essentially of a transition metal chelate or complex of an amino polycarboxylic acid, or a salt thereof, and a reducing agent for increasing the effectiveness of the amino polycarboxylic acid transition metal chelate or complex, said oxygen scavenging material dispersed relatively uniformly through the carrier in an amount effective to act as an oxygen scavenger, wherein the amino transition metal polycarboxylic acid chelate or complex is activated for scavenging oxygen by contact with water or water vapor which is present in or permeates into the carrier.

An oxygen scavenging composition comprising a carrier which is permeable to both oxygen and water or water vapor and an oxygen scavenging material consisting essentially of a transition metal chelate or complex of an amino polycarboxylic acid, or a salt thereof, and an ascorbate compound in an amount sufficient to preserve or augment the oxygen scavenging properties of the amino polycarboxylic acid transition metal chelate or complex, said oxygen scavenging material dispersed relatively uniformly throughout the carrier in an amount effective to act as an oxygen scavenger, wherein the amino transition metal polycarboxylic acid chelate or complex is activated for scavenging oxygen by contact with water or water vapor which is present in or permeates into the carrier.

An oxygen scavenging composition comprising a polymer which is permeable to both oyxgen and water or water vapor;

• and an oxygen scavenging material comprising a transition metal chelate or complex of an amino polycarboxylic acid, or a salt thereof, dispersed relatively uniformly throughout the polymer in an amount effective to act as an oxygen scavenger;
• wherein the transition metal amino polycarboxylic acid chelate or complex is activated for scavenging oxygen by contact with water or water vapor which is present in or permeates into the polymer.

An oxygen scavenging composition comprising a polymer which is permeable to both oxygen and water or water vapor and an oxygen scavenging material consisting essentially of a transition metal complex or chelate of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, or a salt thereof, dispersed relatively uniformly throughout the polymer in an amount effective to act as an oxygen scavenger, and an ascorbate compound in an amount sufficient to preserve or augment the oxygen scavenging properties of the complex of chelate, wherein the complex or chelate is activated for scavenging oxygen by contact with water or water vapor which is present in or permeates into the polymer.