1.0 2009-08-05 17:31:35 UTC 2026-05-14 19:06:54 UTC T3D3572 Potassium nitrate SmallMolecule Potassium nitrate (KNO3) is an inorganic compound with an average molecular weight of 101.10 g/mol. Potassium nitrate belongs to the alkali metal nitrates, a subclass of alkali metal oxoanionic compounds within the inorganic compounds. This exogenous substance is a solid at room temperature and is classified as a mixed metal/non-metal compound. The compound is utilized as a fertilizer, as well as an industrial humectant, biocide, dye, and flavouring and nutrient. It is found in or released from 34 recorded sources, including food, food processing and cookware—specifically the processing of meats and fermentation processes for beer, wine, sparkling wine, and the preparation of malt and vinegar. It is also found in building and construction materials such as floors, tents or canopies; household cleaning and consumer products including bleaching agents, match receptacles or boxes, cigar cigarettes, and other smoking requisites; and electrical and electronic equipment such as amplifiers, antennas, communication cables or conductors, and adjustable resistors. Potassium nitrate is used as a treatment for botulism (PMC8467560) and is associated with colorectal cancer (PMC10301060). Regarding protein targets, it acts as an agonist of the voltage-gated inwardly rectifying potassium channel KCNH2 and interacts with hemoglobin subunit alpha (HBA1) and hemoglobin subunit beta (HBB). Household Toxin Industrial/Workplace Toxin Food Toxin Synthetic Toxin Inorganic Compound Nitrite Fertilizer Nitrate Food Toxin Household Toxin Industrial/Workplace Toxin Synthetic Compound Collo-bo Kali nitricum KalII nitras Kalium nitricum Kaliumnitrat Niter Nitrate of potash Nitre Nitric acid potassium salt Nitric acid potassium salt (1:1) Nitric acid, potassium salt Potassium nitrate (KNO3) Potassium nitrate(dot) Potassium nitric acid Salpetre Salt peter Saltpeter Saltpetre Sensodyne Vicknite KNO3 101.1032 100.951524732 potassium nitrate potassium nitrate 7757-79-1 [K+].[O-][N+]([O-])=O InChI=1S/K.NO3/c;2-1(3)4/q+1;-1 FGIUAXJPYTZDNR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Inorganic compounds Mixed metal/non-metal compounds Alkali metal oxoanionic compounds Alkali metal nitrates Alkali metal nitrates Inorganic oxides Inorganic salts Alkali metal nitrate Inorganic oxide Inorganic salt inorganic nitrate salt potassium salt Detected and Not Quantified Exogenous Cytoplasm Extracellular Potassium nitrate Drug Metabolism Action Pathway SMP0144557 Solid White powder. melting_point 334°C boiling_point 400°C logp -2.6 logp 0.028 ChemAxon pka_strongest_acidic -1.4 ChemAxon pka_strongest_basic -6.1 ChemAxon iupac potassium nitrate ChemAxon average_mass 101.1032 ChemAxon mono_mass 100.951524732 ChemAxon smiles [K+].[O-][N+]([O-])=O ChemAxon formula KNO3 ChemAxon inchi InChI=1S/K.NO3/c;2-1(3)4/q+1;-1 ChemAxon inchikey FGIUAXJPYTZDNR-UHFFFAOYSA-N ChemAxon polar_surface_area 68.88 ChemAxon refractivity 9.85 ChemAxon polarizability 3.24 ChemAxon rotatable_bond_count 0 ChemAxon acceptor_count 3 ChemAxon donor_count 0 ChemAxon physiological_charge -1 ChemAxon formal_charge 0 ChemAxon Oral (L1137) ; inhalation (L1137) Nitrate's toxicity is a result of it's conversion to nitrite once in the body. Nitrite causes the autocatalytic oxidation of oxyhemoglobin to hydrogen peroxide and methemoglobin. This elevation of methemoglobin levels is a condition known as methemoglobinemia, and is characterized by tissue hypoxia, as methemoglobin cannot bind oxygen. (A2450, L1613) Intake of some amount of nitrates and nitrites is a normal part of the nitrogen cycle in humans. In vivo conversion of nitrates to nitrites can occur in the gastrointestional tract under the right conditions, significantly enhancing nitrates' toxic potency. The major metabolic pathway for nitrate is conversion to nitrite, and then to ammonia. Nitrites, nitrates, and their metabolites are excreted in the urine. (L1137) LD50: 1901 mg/kg (Oral, Rabbit) (T13) Ingested nitrate or nitrite under conditions that result in endogenous nitrosation is probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A). (L135) #<HealthEffect::ActiveRecord_Associations_CollectionProxy:0x00007f72232d3358> Nitrate and nitrite poisoning causes methemoglobinemia. Symptoms include cyanosis, cardiac dysrhythmias and circulatory failure, and progressive central nervous system (CNS) effects. CNS effects can range from mild dizziness and lethargy to coma and convulsions. (L1137) Methemoglobinemia can be treated with supplemental oxygen and methylene blue 1% solution administered intravenously slowly over five minutes followed by IV flush with normal saline. Methylene blue restores the iron in hemoglobin to its normal (reduced) oxygen-carrying state. (L1613) DB11090 24434 CHEMBL1644029 22843 C13557 63043 Potassium nitrate 6160 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_nitrate 18203719 Lewis RJ Sr. (ed) (2004). Sax's Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials. 11th Edition. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Interscience, Wiley & Sons, Inc. International Agency for Research on Cancer (2014). IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. : http://monographs.iarc.fr/index.php The Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory of Oxford University (2008). Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for hydrazine (anhydrous). : http://msds.chem.ox.ac.uk/HY/hydrazine.html ATSDR - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (2007). Case Studies in Environmental Medicine. Nitrate/Nitrite Toxicity. U.S. Public Health Service in collaboration with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). : http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/nitrate/nitrate.html Wikipedia. Methemoglobinemia. Last Updated 22 July 2009. : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methemoglobinemia Wikipedia. Potassium nitrate. Last Updated 3 August 2009.: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_nitrate BE0000130 Nitrite causes the autocatalytic oxidation of oxyhemoglobin to hydrogen peroxide and methemoglobin. This elevation of methemoglobin levels is a condition known as methemoglobinemia, and is characterized by tissue hypoxia, as methemoglobin cannot bind oxygen. (A2450, L1613) Wikipedia. Methemoglobinemia. Last Updated 22 July 2009. : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methemoglobinemia BE0000629 Nitrite causes the autocatalytic oxidation of oxyhemoglobin to hydrogen peroxide and methemoglobin. This elevation of methemoglobin levels is a condition known as methemoglobinemia, and is characterized by tissue hypoxia, as methemoglobin cannot bind oxygen. (A2450, L1613) Wikipedia. Methemoglobinemia. Last Updated 22 July 2009. : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methemoglobinemia BE0004987 Nitrite causes the autocatalytic oxidation of oxyhemoglobin to hydrogen peroxide and methemoglobin. This elevation of methemoglobin levels is a condition known as methemoglobinemia, and is characterized by tissue hypoxia, as methemoglobin cannot bind oxygen. (A2450, L1613) Wikipedia. Methemoglobinemia. Last Updated 22 July 2009. : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methemoglobinemia BE0004975 Nitrite causes the autocatalytic oxidation of oxyhemoglobin to hydrogen peroxide and methemoglobin. This elevation of methemoglobin levels is a condition known as methemoglobinemia, and is characterized by tissue hypoxia, as methemoglobin cannot bind oxygen. (A2450, L1613) Wikipedia. Methemoglobinemia. Last Updated 22 July 2009. : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methemoglobinemia BE0004556 Nitrite causes the autocatalytic oxidation of oxyhemoglobin to hydrogen peroxide and methemoglobin. This elevation of methemoglobin levels is a condition known as methemoglobinemia, and is characterized by tissue hypoxia, as methemoglobin cannot bind oxygen. (A2450, L1613) Wikipedia. Methemoglobinemia. Last Updated 22 July 2009. : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methemoglobinemia BE0004998 Nitrite causes the autocatalytic oxidation of oxyhemoglobin to hydrogen peroxide and methemoglobin. This elevation of methemoglobin levels is a condition known as methemoglobinemia, and is characterized by tissue hypoxia, as methemoglobin cannot bind oxygen. (A2450, L1613) Wikipedia. Methemoglobinemia. Last Updated 22 July 2009. : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methemoglobinemia BE0004986 Nitrite causes the autocatalytic oxidation of oxyhemoglobin to hydrogen peroxide and methemoglobin. This elevation of methemoglobin levels is a condition known as methemoglobinemia, and is characterized by tissue hypoxia, as methemoglobin cannot bind oxygen. (A2450, L1613) Wikipedia. Methemoglobinemia. Last Updated 22 July 2009. : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methemoglobinemia BE0005028 Nitrite causes the autocatalytic oxidation of oxyhemoglobin to hydrogen peroxide and methemoglobin. This elevation of methemoglobin levels is a condition known as methemoglobinemia, and is characterized by tissue hypoxia, as methemoglobin cannot bind oxygen. (A2450, L1613) Wikipedia. Methemoglobinemia. Last Updated 22 July 2009. : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methemoglobinemia BE0005021 Nitrite causes the autocatalytic oxidation of oxyhemoglobin to hydrogen peroxide and methemoglobin. This elevation of methemoglobin levels is a condition known as methemoglobinemia, and is characterized by tissue hypoxia, as methemoglobin cannot bind oxygen. (A2450, L1613) Wikipedia. Methemoglobinemia. Last Updated 22 July 2009. : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methemoglobinemia BE0000090