A new kind of surfactant named N-hexadecyt ethylenediamine triacetic acid (HED3A) was synthesized from anhydrous ethylenediamine, 1-bromohexadecane, and chloroacetic acid. Testing showed stability of HED3A in hard water, wetting power, dispersing power, and surface tension increased along with pH value. Stability in hard water of trisodium N-hexadecyl ethylenediamine triacetate (3NaHED3A) was at level 4, which was better than that of sodium dodecylsulfate (SIDS) and sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (LAS). Other properties of 3NaHED3A including wetting power, dispersing power, emulsifying power, and surface tension had intermediate value between SDS, LAS, AES, peregal-O, and cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC). The ethylenediamine triacetic acid (ED3A) group in 3NaHED3A can chelate many kinds of metal ions, which indicates a promising application prospect in many fields including metal anticorrosion, corrosion control agent, additives in electroplating solution, and ore selection and solid surface treatment. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.