a colorless, crystalline solid, CHNO, used as an industrial chelating agent, food preservative, etc. and in medicine to chelate lead, copper, etc. in metal poisoning, to prevent coagulation of blood, etc.
See EDTA in American Heritage Dictionary 4
(ēˌdē-tē-āˈ)
noun
A crystalline acid, C10H16N2O8, that acts as a strong chelating agent. The sodium salt of EDTA is used as an antidote for metal poisoning, an anticoagulant, and an ingredient in a variety of industrial reagents.