EDTA solution is widely used to bind metal ions in various industrial, medical, and laboratory applications. In medicine, it is used in chelation therapy to treat heavy metal poisoning, such as lead or mercury toxicity, by forming stable complexes that the body can excrete. It is also added to blood collection tubes to prevent clotting by binding calcium ions, making it essential in hematological testing.

In the food industry, EDTA solution helps preserve products by deactivating metal ions that can catalyze oxidation, thereby extending shelf life and maintaining color and flavor. It is commonly found in salad dressings, canned foods, and beverages.

In water treatment, it softens water by sequestering calcium and magnesium ions, improving the efficiency of detergents and preventing scale formation in industrial systems. It is also used in agriculture to deliver micronutrients like iron to plants in a stable, absorbable form.

In laboratories, EDTA is used in molecular biology to control enzyme activity, especially in DNA and RNA extraction, where it inhibits nucleases that require metal cofactors. It is also a key component in electrophoresis buffers and cell culture media.