Industrial cleaning: complexation of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions, binding of heavy metals.Detergents: complexation of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ (reduction of waterhardness).Photography: use of Fe(III)EDTA as oxidizing agent. Pulp and paper industry: complexation of heavy metals during chlorine-free bleaching, stabilization of hydrogen peroxide.

Food: added as preservative to prevent catalytic oxidation by metal ions or stabilizer and for iron fortification.^[5] Approved by the FDA as a preservative in packaged foods, vitamins, and baby food. Personal care: added to cosmetics to improve product stability.^[6] Oil production: added into the borehole to inhibit mineral precipitation.[citation needed] .

EDTA is used in chelation therapy for acute hypercalcemia, mercury poisoning and lead poisoning[7]. Combined with chromium, EDTA is used to evaluate kidney function. It is administered intravenously and its filtration into the urine is monitored. This method is considered the gold standard for evaluating glomerular filtration rate, Cr-EDTA's sole way out of the body is via glomerular filtration as it is not secreted or metabolised in any other way.