Used primarily as a chelating agent in various industries. In medicine, it treats heavy metal poisoning by binding to metals like lead and mercury, allowing their excretion from the body. In food, it acts as a preservative to maintain color and flavor by sequestering metal ions that cause oxidation. In water treatment, it helps control metal ions that contribute to scale formation and corrosion. Additionally, it is utilized in cosmetics to stabilize formulations by preventing metal-induced degradation. In analytical chemistry, it serves as a reagent for complexometric titrations to determine metal ion concentrations.