This chemical is primarily used in analytical chemistry as a chelating agent due to its ability to form stable complexes with metal ions. It is particularly effective in sequestering heavy metals, making it valuable in environmental remediation processes for removing contaminants from water and soil. In industrial applications, it is employed in metal finishing and plating to control metal ion concentrations and improve the quality of coatings. Additionally, it finds use in biochemical research for studying metal-protein interactions and in medical diagnostics for developing assays that detect metal ions in biological samples. Its chelating properties also make it useful in agriculture, where it can be applied to correct micronutrient deficiencies in plants by enhancing the availability of essential metals in the soil.