Potassium nitrate 99% or Saltpeter or Niter or Nitric acid potassium salt
Product Overview & Quality
- Product Name: Potassium nitrate 99% or Saltpeter or Niter or Nitric acid potassium salt
- Brand: QReC (Product Code: QR-P5196-1-0500)
- Grade: Analytical Reagent (AR Grade) featuring a certified chemical assay of not less than 99.0 percent. Manufactured and multi-crystallized under strict QReC global laboratory specifications without anti-caking conditioning agents. Strictly tested to enforce minimal loss on drying (strictly below 0.2 percent), alongside ultra-low ppm limits of chloride, sulfate, phosphate, nitrite, ammonium, water-insoluble matter, and trace heavy metals (such as iron, lead, copper, arsenic, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and sodium). Displays uniform, dry prismatic crystals dissolving completely in water to yield crystal-clear, neutral solutions free of sediment or turbidity. Packaged in a heavy-duty, moisture-barrier polymer container equipped with a hermetic seal.
- Physical Properties: Colorless translucent crystals, crystalline granules, or fine white crystalline powder. Odorless with a cooling, saline taste. Thermodynamically stable in dry ambient air. Non-combustible solid itself, but acts as an inorganic oxidizing agent (Category 3) capable of accelerating the combustion of flammable substances. Thermal decomposition at elevated temperatures yields potassium nitrite and oxygen gas. Aqueous solutions are practically neutral (pH approximately 6.0 to 7.5 for a 5 percent aqueous solution at room temperature).
- Solubility: Moderately soluble in water at room temperature (approximately 31 to 32 grams per 100 milliliters at 20 degrees Celsius; dissolution is a pronounced endothermic process, with solubility surging dramatically to over 240 grams per 100 milliliters in boiling water); soluble in glycerol; slightly soluble in ethanol; practically insoluble in diethyl ether.
- Key Use: Universally utilized as a primary, highly bioavailable inorganic source of potassium and nitrate nitrogen in plant tissue culture formulations (such as Murashige and Skoog media: MS medium) and agronomic plant physiology research to optimize vegetative and root development. Extensively investigated as a high-temperature thermal transfer medium and sensible/latent heat storage material in molten salt eutectic formulations (Solar Salt) for concentrated solar power (CSP) research. Heavily used as an oxidizing fusion flux in analytical mineralogy for dissolving refractory ores and silicates. Serves as an analytical reference standard and reagent for calibration in Ion Chromatography (IC) and UV-Vis spectrophotometric nitrate assays. Routinely employed in specialty glass formulations, technical ceramics, and solid-state reaction kinetics research.
Safety & Hazards (Oxidizer, Mild Irritant & Methemoglobinemia Risk)
- Classification: May intensify fire; oxidizer (Oxidizing Solid Category 3). May cause mild mechanical ocular, dermal, or respiratory irritation.
- Health Risks: Direct eye contact may cause transient mechanical stinging, conjunctival redness, or lacrimation. Prolonged dermal contact can cause mild dryness or superficial irritation. Inhalation of particulate dust irritates the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, inducing sneezing, coughing, or nasal dryness. Ingestion of large quantities provokes gastrointestinal irritation, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, hypotension, and potential systemic methemoglobinemia from the in vivo reduction of nitrate to nitrite.
- First Aid Measures: Flush affected eyes thoroughly with clean running water for at least 10 to 15 minutes while stripping contaminated clothing; remove contact lenses promptly. Wash exposed skin with soap and water. In case of dust inhalation, relocate the individual to fresh air. If accidentally swallowed in substantial amounts, rinse mouth thoroughly, administer water in moderate amounts, and seek medical advice promptly.
Handling & Storage
- Storage: Inorganic Oxidizing Agent Hazard. Exposure to elevated heat, reducing agents, or combustible materials presents severe fire and deflagration hazards. Must be preserved in its original, tightly closed QReC container. Store in a clean, strictly dry, cool, and well-ventilated dedicated chemical store at controlled temperatures (below 25 to 30 degrees Celsius), sheltered from thermal sources and direct sunlight. Keep strictly segregated from organic chemicals, flammable solvents, strong reducing agents, finely powdered metals, sulfur, charcoal, phosphorus, concentrated mineral acids, and combustible materials.
- Precautions: Standard laboratory PPE is mandatory, including protective nitrile gloves, safety glasses, and a protective lab coat. Re-seal container cap tightly immediately after sampling. Minimize dust generation during weighing and dispensing.
