Chelates are important chemical compounds that have the ability to bind to metal ions, which is why they are widely used in fields such as medicine, agriculture and industry. Synonyms for the word chelates include sequesters, complexes, coordinates, and binds. Sequesters are used to describe the process by which chelates trap metal ions and remove them from the environment. Complexes are used to describe the resulting compound formed by the chelate and the metal ion. Coordinates and binds describe the interactions between the chelate and the metal ion. Regardless of the synonym used, chelates play a critical role in many areas of science and technology.