This compound is a barium salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), functioning as a chelating agent for metal ions. It is primarily used in analytical chemistry for complexometric titrations to determine concentrations of alkaline earth metals, including barium, calcium, and magnesium. In industrial applications, it aids in water treatment by sequestering metal ions to prevent scaling and corrosion. Due to the toxicity of barium, it is not used in food products or as a direct pharmaceutical ingredient, though related EDTA salts are employed in chelation therapy under medical supervision.