EDTA is widely used in various industries due to its ability to bind metal ions. In medicine, it is employed as a chelating agent to treat heavy metal poisoning, such as lead or mercury, by forming stable complexes that are excreted from the body. In the food industry, EDTA acts as a preservative, preventing discoloration and spoilage by sequestering metal ions that catalyze oxidation. In water treatment, it helps control scale formation and corrosion by binding calcium and magnesium ions. Additionally, EDTA is used in cosmetics to stabilize formulations and in laboratory research as a reagent to inhibit metal-dependent enzymatic reactions. Its versatility in binding metals makes it a valuable compound across multiple applications.