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The term chelate was first applied in 1920 by Sir Gilbert T. Morgan and H.D.K. Drew in J. Chem. Soc., 1920, 117, 1456, who stated: "The adjective chelate, derived from the great claw or chela (chely- Greek) of the lobster or other crustaceans, is suggested for the caliperlike groups which function as two associating units and fasten to the central atom so as to produce heterocyclic rings."

Metal complexes are of widespread interest and studied by inorganic chemists, physical and organic chemists, biochemistsBiochemistry is the chemistry of life. Biochemists study the elements, compounds and chemical reactions that are controlled by enzymes and take place in all living organisms. Biochemistry is focused on the structure and function of cellular components, su, pharmacologistsPharmacology (Greek: pharmacon is drug, and logos''is science) is the study of how chemical substances interfere with living systems. If these substances have medicinal properties, they are referred to as pharmaceuticals . The field encompasses drug compo, molecular biologistsMolecular biology is the study of biology at a molecular level. The field overlaps with other areas of biology, particularly genetics and biochemistry. Molecular biology chiefly concerns itself with understanding the interactions between the various syste, and environmentalistsEnvironmental science is the science of the physical, chemical, and biological conditions of the environment and the effect of this on organisms. It is an interdisciplinary science that relies heavily on the natural sciences. It uses physics to study ener.

Chelators are used in chemical analysis , as water softener s, as preservativeA preservative is a natural or synthetic chemical that is added to products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, paints, biological samples, etc. to retard spoilage, whether from microbial growth, or undesirable chemical changes. Preservative food additives ars, and in medicine ( chelation therapyChelation therapy is a process involving the use of chelating agents such as EDTA to remove heavy metals from the body. Discovery in medicine Chelating agents were introduced into medicine as a result of the use of poison gas warfare in World War I. The f). Natural chelators include the porphyrin rings in hemoglobin or chlorophyll and the Fe³⁺ chelating siderophores secreted by microorganisms.