A Li-Al layered double hydroxide intercalated with ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA center dot Li-Al LDH) was prepared by the drop-wise addition of an Al solution to a Li-EDTA solution at a constant pH of 8.0. EDTA center dot Li-Al LDH was found to take up Nd3+ and Sr2+ ions from aqueous solutions, which can be attributed to the metal-chelating functions of the EDTA ions in the interlayers of EDTA center dot Li-Al LDH. However, EDTA center dot Li-Al LDH was found to be inferior to Li-Al LDH intercalated with triethylenetetraminehexaacetic acid (TTHA center dot Li-Al LDH) for both Nd3+ and Sr2+ uptake. This may be explained by the fact that the Nd-EDTA and Sr-EDTA complexes are less stable than the Nd-TTHA and Sr-TTHA complexes, respectively, leading to the lower uptake of Nd(3+)and Sr2+, respectively. Further, EDTA center dot Li-Al LDH was found to take up Nd3+ ions preferentially over Sr2+ ions from aqueous solutions, which may be caused by the fact that the Nd-EDTA complex is more stable than the Sr-EDTA complex. It should be noted that the Nd3+/Sr2+ uptake selectivity in the case of EDTA center dot Li-Al LDH was higher than that in the case of TTHA center dot Li-Al LDH. In other words, EDTA center dot Li-Al LDH was found to be superior to TTHA center dot Li-Al LDH in selectively taking up metal ions. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.