The invention provides a alkyl-iminodisuccinate chelating surfactant, wherein in the following structural formula, R represents paraffin base, and Y represents H, Na, K, or NH4. The method comprises coupling a hydrophobic long carbon chain onto an N atom of iminodisuccinate, thereby making the whole molecule has lipophilicity as well as hydrophilicity. Alkyl-iminodisuccinate is a novel surfactant, and simultaneously has excellent surface activity and chelating capability.