This chemical is primarily used as a chelating agent in analytical chemistry for the selective extraction and determination of metal ions such as iron, copper, uranium, and nickel, particularly in complex matrices. It forms stable complexes with these metals, making it useful in environmental and industrial water treatment processes to remove or recover these metals, and in mineral processing as a collector in froth flotation for selective recovery of metal ores. Additionally, it finds application in the synthesis of organic compounds, where it acts as an intermediate or reagent in various chemical reactions. Its ability to inhibit certain enzymes also makes it a candidate for research in biochemical studies and potential pharmaceutical applications. It is further used in chemical research to study reaction mechanisms and metal complex formation.