EDTA, Tetrasodium Salt is a chelating agent with wide-ranging ability to sequester various polyvalent cations. This compound is used in experiments as a simple model for amino acid components of proteins. EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) is a chelating agent, a general chemical, and a sequestrant.

EDTA is used extensively as a chelator of divalent cations such as Ca²⁺. Used to minimize metal ion contaminants and also used to facilitate enzymatic reactions that could be inhibited by heavy metal traces. EDTA, Tetrasodium Salt, inhibits enzymes, such as metalloproteases, that require divalent cations for activity. Some research has shown that this product is a potential inhibitor of Calpain.