ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is a synthetic aminopolycarboxylic acid and a hexadentate ligand, widely used as a chelating agent to bind metal ions such as calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, and manganese. By forming stable water-soluble complexes with these metals—even at neutral pH—EDTA prevents them from participating in chemical reactions. In medicine, EDTA is primarily used for the treatment of heavy metal toxicity (such as lead poisoning) by chelation therapy. It also serves as an anticoagulant in blood sample collection tubes by binding calcium ions required for blood clotting. Industrially and analytically, it is employed to sequester metal ions in aqueous solutions (e.g., water softening), stabilize bleaches in paper/pulp processing and detergents, preserve food color/flavor by binding trace metals that catalyze oxidation reactions, and facilitate complexometric titrations for quantifying metal concentrations. In laboratory settings it can be used to enhance cell sorting or drug delivery systems due to its ability to modulate membrane permeability[1][2][3][5][6].

Brand names

Versene acid

Other names

ethylenediaminetetraacetic acidEDTAedetic acidedathamil