(HOOC-CH2)2N(CH2) 2N(CH2-COOH)2;a chelating
agent used to
remove multivalent cations from
solution as chelates, and used in
biochemical studies to
remove Magnesium, Fe2+, etc., from reactions
affected by such ions. As the
sodium salt, used as a
water softener, to stabilise drugs rapidly
decomposed in the presence of traces of
metal ions, and as an anticoagulant; as the
sodium calcium salt, used to
remove radium, lead, strontium, plutonium, and
cadmium from the skeleton, forming
stable un-ionised
soluble compounds that are excreted by the kidneys.
Compare: EGTA.
Synonym: edathamil, edetic acid.
Acronym: EDTA