Potassium chloride (KCI) is a chemical compound containing both potassium and chlorine. It is considered a halide salt, which means that it contains a halogen atom and is crystalline in nature like other salts. In its pure state it is white and odorless. Impure potassium chloride varies in color from white to pink to red.

Potassium chloride is mined from a naturally occurring mineral known as sylvite. It can also be extracted from salt water and is also a byproduct when nitric acid is made from potassium nitrate and hydrochloric acid. It’s a good thing that potassium chloride is so readily available because it has many uses, not only in science and medicine but in everyday life.

Perhaps most importantly, potassium chloride is the main positive ion inside the body’s cells. Potassium is needed for normal bodily functions, including those affecting the heart, nerve conduction, muscle contraction and normal kidney functions. It is found in electrolyte compounds along with sodium, calcium, magnesium, hydrogen phosphate and hydrogen carbonate and helps restore the body’s electrolyte and water levels. In this way, potassium helps prevent and treat dehydration caused by excessive exercise, illness or intoxication.

Even though it is needed by the body, in excess, potassium can be dangerous and even cause death. Because of this, potassium is used as one of the three drugs administered by the US in cases of lethal injection. It is also used during abortion procedures to stop the heart of the fetus after delivery.

Often going unnoticed, potassium chloride is used almost every day by most everyone. It is used in water softeners as a substitute for sodium chloride and as a salt substitute in foods. Found in batteries, it serves as a bridge between copper sulfate and zinc sulfate for electron flow.

Outside of these common everyday uses, it is also used as a chemical fertilizer and as a standard in the calibration of various scientific equipment. It is especially used in equipment for radiation monitoring, because natural occurring potassium produces beta radiation and serves as an optical crystal, or prism, with a high transmission range. Prior to the 1960’s, it was used in fire extinguishers but was replaced with potassium bicarbonate. It is often used in environmental friendly winter ice melting formulas.