Used extensively as a chelating agent to bind metal ions, it is widely applied in industrial cleaning to remove scale and metal deposits. In the food industry, it acts as a preservative by stabilizing products against oxidation and discoloration caused by metal contaminants. In the cosmetics industry, it is used to enhance product stability and prevent degradation by sequestering metal ions. In medicine, it is utilized in chelation therapy to treat heavy metal poisoning, effectively binding and removing toxic metals like lead and mercury from the bloodstream. Additionally, it is employed in laboratory settings to sequester metal ions that could interfere with biochemical assays. In water treatment, it helps control water hardness by binding calcium and magnesium ions, preventing scale formation in boilers and pipelines.