What is Potassium Nitrate?

Potassium nitrate is a white mineral salt which is composed of potassium and nitrogen. It is also the most common source of nitrogen in mineral form available on earth. It is naturally occurring and can be easily produced by many different methods. Its use has been noted since before the 1200′s and has aided in the production of many different inventions and uses. The powerful explosives which have been derived from potassium nitrate can be stable or extremely volatile and have even aided in the creation of the Nobel Prize. Health wise, potassium nitrate can be used to treat certain symptoms within the body.

Common Uses for Potassium Nitrate

Since potassium nitrate was able to be purified, even in simpler methods, it has become a useful substance for use with many different applications. The ability to create a spark which oxidizes with greater force for higher heat was only the beginning. The process to create the potassium nitrate hints to several possible uses including those for war and peace. The following are all common uses for potassium nitrate which are worth noting:

Oxidizing Component of Gunpowder – Gunpowder is an amazing compound which mixes together several dry ingredients to make a mild explosive. This mixture includes potassium nitrate (which was called salt peter) and can make it possible for a combustion chamber to expel an object at vast velocities when it traps the force of the minor explosion and is released from the pressure. This is how many bullets are made and was the original mixture which was used for muskets long ago which required complicated ignition devices. Although primitive in nature, the chemical process for the ignition is still in use today.

Fertilizer Ingredients – Potassium nitrate is used organically by plants to fixate nitrogen. This helps the plants to grow larger and produce more. Fertilizer made from animal waste is commonly used and produces a natural amount of potassium nitrate from nitrogen in the waste. The addition of potassium nitrate only helps to speed up the process in which the organic compounds could be used by plants which utilize the amazing salt.

Production of Glyceryl Trinitrate – Glyceryl trinitrate or nitroglycerine is a component of dynamite. It was discovered by Alfred Nobel and made way for an amazing and explosive invention. The process of making glyceryl trinitrate is simple and is done with potassium nitrate. The processing in modern times makes stronger and more purified forms with several different chemical sources including potassium nitrate.

Amyl Nitrite for Angina – The production of amyl nitrite is possible with the use of potassium nitrate. The compound acts by reducing blood pressure and effectively dissolving some of the plaque that builds up within the blood vessel walls. This also helps to cure the pains commonly associated with angina such as the crippling chest pains from not receiving enough blood flow to the heart.

Combating High Blood Pressure – The hypotensive properties of potassium nitrate is amazingly one of the best options available for those with heart disease. It can help to reduce the stress of the high blood pressure on the body and allow healing to slowly occur over time. The use of potassium nitrate as a blood pressure regulator is sometimes not prescribed because some people develop kidney stones and other problems from the excess potassium which builds up over time with the use of potassium nitrate.

Food Processing and Preservation – Canned meats were famous for the longest period of time and especially during war times. The product called SPAM was actually derived from the canning processes which were using potassium nitrate as a preservative. The word SPAM is actually an acronym which means “Special Purpose Army Meat”. Although the use of potassium nitrate is not as prominent as before, some meats such as corned beef are more desirable and last much longer with the inclusion of potassium nitrate.

Cigarette Ingredient – Even burning is crucial in cigarettes because uneven burning causes the ashes to collect strangely and turn off the cigarette. The best way to combat this is to add potassium nitrate to the cigarette ingredients to allow for a much nicer and even burn which smokers can enjoy. The basic addition of potassium nitrate is not very toxic but using products such as cigarettes is not recommended since they have so many additives and toxins which are added to them to make them more addictive.

Ice Cream – Potassium nitrate is used in ice cream as a preservative and is deemed safe for use in food materials as long as it is not consumed in vast quantities at once. The small amount which would be used in potassium nitrate towards the actual preservative action for the ice cream is usually negligible because it is so small of a quantity. It simply prevents the oxidation of the ice cream and helps reduce the effects of “freezer burn” when added to the ice cream.

Toothpaste Additive – Sensitivity in teeth is a common problem which is dealt with every day by many people around the world. Potassium nitrate helps to reduce this sensitivity by some chemical processes. The coating it provides to teeth somehow blocks the pain receptors from feeling the sensitive vibrations to nerve endings for the teeth. This can allow those with tooth sensitivity to eat and drink normal foods.

Creating Fireworks – Production of potassium perchlorate for fireworks and even rocket fuels is popular and was developed by the Chinese long ago. The orient was filled with spectacular firecrackers and explosive noise makers in the sky for several hundreds of years because of potassium nitrate. The small bits of fireworks which are sent into the sky do end up causing damage to rivers and land around where the firecrackers have fallen. This is simply because the unused ammonium percholrate and potassium nitrates will ends up washing into rivers with rain over time.

How Potassium Nitrate is Produced

Production of potassium nitrate can be done in many different ways. Several methods have been used and have historical important to the creation of the substance which has so many different uses. These are the different methods of production of potassium nitrate:

Historical Production – One of the methods to produce potassium nitrate was to collect animal dung and create a special area in which rainwater could collect. This collection bin was made of wood and had very specific dimensions to be used for maximum efficiency. After several months, the nitrogen would mix with the water and it was pounded with ashes to great gunpowder for the older guns and muskets. This also increased the nitrogen content of the manure and made it a very fine fertilizer which could be used for a wide range of reasons.

Historical Chinese Method – In China, the method of producing potassium nitrate involved allowing urine to stand and sour for long periods of time. As time went by, nitrogen levels increased and ammonia was produced which could be reduced into potassium chloride for many different uses. The use of potassium chloride in these times was mostly to make firecrackers and outfit large weapons like cannons with the fuel necessary to make it shoot out a large and heavy object.

Birkeland/Eyde Process – Electrical arcs were found to bind oxygen and nitrogen together to create nitrous oxide. This required a large amount of energy, but from another process, the nitrogen could be bound together to potassium to create potassium nitrate. Making potassium nitrate through this method was time and resource consuming. The process would involve shooting oxygen into the arc and forcing nitrogen to bind with the oxygen to create the nitrous oxide. With a refining process, the nitrous oxide could be turned into potassium nitrate for various uses. Since this process was so energy intensive, it is not as commonly used any more.

Haber Process – Oxidation of ammonia was the fasted and quickest option with the highest amount of efficiency for creating potassium nitrate. This method made it possible to mass produce potassium nitrate which was much more pure and could be used for many different options as well. The possible uses for the potassium nitrate and the efficiency of the Haber process make it simple to purify and makes the substance widely available.

Dangers of Potassium Nitrate

Although Potassium nitrate is not harmful in small doses, it is understood that it could possibly lead to complications later on. The addition of potassium nitrate in our ingested food can build up over time and make the body become ill if the person in question does not ingest water or get food to help reduce the strength of the potassium nitrate in the body. The following are dangers of potassium nitrate to look out for:

Health Concerns – Exposure to potassium nitrate is very difficult to get over can contribute to lowered kidney function, renal failure as well as many other complications which are central to mineral salt consumption. The creation of kidney stones and the crystallization of the potassium in different areas of the body can be very painful and could easily be debilitating and destructive to the body.

Long Term Environmental Damage – The use of potassium nitrate to produce explosives, rockets and other fuels is also having a destructive effect on the environment. The chemicals in ammonium perchlorates and other potassium salts including the nitrates are readily absorbed into plants and other living beings. The ammonium perchlorates are very toxic and can cause cancers with prolonged exposure to the substances. In plants, it is known to alter their growth habits and make them unsuitable for eating. Eating plants with unusual amounts of chemical compounds in them is not the best idea.

Since potassium nitrate is such a useful compound it may never cease to be in production. The vast amounts of potassium and nitrogen on the planet are so great that it would never be depleted. This is due to the fact that the earth naturally cycles these elements and has been doing so ever since the earth was created. Potassium nitrate can be found in nearly every drug store!

Potassium nitrate, known by the molecular formula KNO3, is a compound that is a naturally occurring source of nitrogen. It has numerous different names due to its uses in many different parts of the world. In American English, it is called saltpeter from the Latin sal petrae or “stone salt.” Other names are nitrate of potash and nitre. While there are other compounds similar to potassium nitrate in use and appearance (sodium nitrate), after years of using both, it was determined that potassium nitrate was the better because it didn’t get damp.

Uses of Potassium Nitrate

There are many different uses of potassium nitrate. One of its big uses since the Middle Ages has been to use it as a form of food preservation. However, as modern times have come along, the use of potassium nitrate has been stopped in favor of better and more effective nitrite and nitrate compounds.

To ensure that a pre-rolled cigarette is able to maintain an even burn on the tobacco, the makers tend to put some potassium nitrate in. The reason for this is because it is part of a critical oxidizing reaction. This is needed in all sorts of burning and KNO3 has been used in burning fuses as well as slow matches.

One of its most well known uses is actually in black powder/gun powder. It is one of the three components found in black powder (powdered charcoal and sulfur are the other two). When looking at it using a flame test, the lilac color that appears is caused by the presence of potassium.

In the agricultural world, it is used in two different places. First, it is the main component of tree stump removers. This is because it accelerates the decomposition of tree stumps to make room for more farming land. On the other hand, it plays an incredible role in fertilizer. Potassium and nitrates are two maco nutrients for plants and therefore, having a compound potassium nitrate put into the soil, the plant gets all the nutrients it needs.

Some scientists have suggested that the use of potassium nitrates in food and then the consumption of it is known to decrease sex drive. Unfortunately, there has been no true scientific evidence to support this claim and therefore, this is only a “rumor” and not actual scientific fact.