ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid; a colourless crystalline slightly soluble organic compound used in inorganic chemistry and biochemistry. It is a powerful chelating agent used to stabilize bleach in detergents. Formula: [(HOOCCH2)2NCH2]2
EDTA in American English
(ˌiˌdiˌtiˈeɪ)
noun
a colorless, crystalline solid, C10H16N2O8, 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.