Used as a dye in textile industries, particularly for dyeing cotton and other cellulosic fibers. It provides red to maroon shades with good lightfastness. Also applied in histology as a staining agent for calcium in tissue sections, aiding in the visualization of mineral deposits under microscopy. Serves as an indicator in analytical chemistry due to its color change properties in varying pH environments. Additionally, it has been explored in the development of optical sensors and fluorescent probes because of its photostable characteristics.