Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

EDTA and its salts are important chelators. It forms stable water- soluble complexes with transition metals. It is also used, for example, to soften water, as it binds calcium and magnesium and creates soluble compounds with them. In endodontics, it is used to remove the inorganic component of the smear layer during root canal irrigation. Due to its ability to bind calcium cations from the solution, it serves as an anti-coagulant agent in clinical biochemistry. It is also used as a medicine for lead and other metal poisoning.