Used primarily in medical settings as an intravenous therapy to treat metabolic acidosis, a condition where the body produces excessive acid or the kidneys are not removing enough acid from the body. It helps to neutralize the acid in the blood, restoring the pH balance to a normal level. Also employed in emergency situations to manage certain types of drug overdoses and poisonings where the blood becomes too acidic. In addition, it is utilized in dialysis treatments to help maintain the correct acid-base balance in patients with kidney failure. Outside of medical applications, it can be used in laboratory settings as a buffering agent to maintain stable pH levels in various chemical reactions and experiments.