Question

what is the structure and uses of EDTA?

Answer 1

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, widely abbreviated as EDTA, is a polyamino carboxylic acid. It is widely used to dissolve limescale. Its usefulness arises because of its role as a hexadentate ("six-toothed") ligand and chelating agent, i.e. its ability to "sequester" metal ions such as $\mathrm{Ca^{2+}}$ and $\mathrm{Fe^{3+}}$. After being bound by EDTA, metal ions remain in solution but exhibit diminished reactivity.