Widely used as a chelating agent in industrial and laboratory settings, this chemical effectively binds metal ions such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper. It is commonly employed in water treatment to sequester metal ions that cause hardness, preventing scale formation in boilers and cooling systems. In detergents and cleaning formulations, it enhances performance by preventing metal-induced decomposition of surfactants and bleaching agents. It also finds use in pulp and paper processing to inactivate metal catalysts that promote discoloration and degradation of cellulose. Additionally, it is utilized in agrochemicals and personal care products to stabilize formulations by controlling metal ion activity. Its ability to form stable complexes makes it valuable in analytical chemistry for masking interfering metal ions during titrations and spectrophotometric analyses.