Orthosphenic acid is primarily used in specialized analytical chemistry applications, particularly in the detection and separation of certain metal ions. It acts as a complexing agent, forming stable coordination compounds with metals such as zirconium, hafnium, and titanium, which aids in their quantitative determination in mineral and alloy samples. Due to its selective chelating properties, it is employed in wet chemical analysis and spectrophotometric methods where high specificity is required. Additionally, orthosphenic acid has been investigated for use in nuclear fuel processing, where it assists in the separation of tetravalent actinides and lanthanides from aqueous solutions. Its role in material science includes potential application in the synthesis of metal-organic frameworks and ceramic precursors, where controlled metal ion binding is essential.