No it is not used fro any such purposes.
EDTA is a widely-used acronym for the chemical compound ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid .
EDTA refers to the chelating agent with the formula (HO2CCH2)2NCH2CH2N(CH2CO2H)2.
This amino acid is widely used to sequester di- and trivalent metal ions.
EDTA binds to metals via four carboxylate and two amine groups. EDTA forms specially strong complexes with Mn(II), Cu(II), Fe(III), and Co(III)
H4EDTA is a member of the aminocarboxylate family of ligands that includes imidodiacetic acid ("H2IDA") and nitrilotriacetic acid ("H3NTA").There are many other forms available.These ligands are all formally derived from the amino acid glycine.
H4EDTA forms highly stable coordination compounds that are soluble in water. These are chiral compounds.
The uses of EDTA can be put under three main headidngs..
1. General
2.Medical
3.Still under development or in labs under experimental conditions
General...
In Industrial cleaning: complexation of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions, binding of heavy metals.
Detergents: complexation of Ca2+ and Mg2+ (reduction of water hardness).
Photography: use of Fe(III)EDTA as oxidizing agent.
Pulp and paper industry: complexation of heavy metals during chlorine-free bleaching, stabilization of hydrogen peroxide.
Textile industry: complexation of heavy metals, bleach stabilizer.
Agrochemicals: Fe, Zn and Cu fertilizer, especially in calcareous soils.
Hydroponics: iron-EDTA is used to solubilize iron in nutrient solutions.
Food: added as preservative to prevent catalytic oxidation by metal ions or stabilizer and for iron fortification.
Approved by the FDA as a preservative in packaged foods, vitamins, and baby food.
Personal care: added to cosmetics to improve product stability
Oil production: added into the borehole to inhibit mineral precipitation.
Dairy and beverage industry,
Flue gas cleaning: removal of Nitrous oxide
Dentistry as a root canal irrigant to remove organic and inorganic debris,
Soft drinks containing ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate, to mitigate formation of benzene (a carcinogen)
Recycling: recovery of lead from used lead acid batteries.
Medical:
EDTA is used in chelation therapy for acute hypercalcemia, mercury poisoning and lead poisoning.
Combined with chromium, EDTA is used to evaluate kidney function. It is administered intravenously and its filtration into the urine is monitored. This method is considered the gold standard for evaluating glomerular filtration rate, Cr-EDTA's sole way out of the body is via glomerular filtration as it is not secreted or metabolised in any other way.
Used as anticoagulant for blood samples
In veterinary ophthalmology EDTA may be used as an anticollagenase to prevent the worsening of corneal ulcers in animals.
"Some laboratory studies also suggest that EDTA chelation may prevent collection of platelets [or plaque] which can otherwise lead to formation of blood clots and prevent blood flow) on the walls of blood vessels . These ideas are theoretical, however."
Others..
Scavenging metal ions: in biochemistry and molecular biology, ion depletion is commonly used to inactivate metal-dependent enzymes which could damage DNA or proteins
Complexometric titrations.
Buffer solutions.
Determination of water hardness.
EDTA may be used as a masking agent to remove a metal ion which would interfere with the analysis of a second metal ion present
An anticoagulant in medical and laboratory equipment.
A preservative (usually to enhance the action of another preservative such as benzalkonium or thiomersal) in ocular preparations and eyedrops. See "les conservateurs en opthalmologie" Doctors Patrice Vo Tan & Yves lachkar, Librarie Médicale Théa.
A titrant used to determine nickel concentration in an electroless nickel plating bath.
In metallography
The following sites are a link to those who sell this compound for oral intake and claim to rid the body of many such problems(among many other).. However medically this is yet to prove in humans.
Wide spread use has given rise to environmental pollution with this compound.
Before embarking upon any such adventure, I will advise you to open the link in wikipedia,which will give you a good idea of what it is all about. Since it is used as an anticoagulant,its use is to be under medical supervision.
And it is not that simple....the best way is to curtail fats, exercise and follow your doctor.
1. www.wonderlabs.com%2Fedta%2Findex.html
2. www.cardiorenew.com%2F,,entireweb,1
3. www.heart-disease-bypass-surgery.com%2Fdata%2Ftechnical%2FIngredients%2FEDTA%2Fedta1.htm,,entireweb,1