Title: Potassium Sulfate
CAS Registry Number: 7778-80-5
Synonyms: Sal polychrestum; arcanum duplicatum; tartarus vitriolatus
Molecular Formula: K2O4S
Molecular Weight: 174.26
Percent Composition: K 44.87%, O 36.73%, S 18.40%
Line Formula: K2SO4
Literature References: Contains at least 99% K2SO4.
Properties: Colorless or white, odorless, hard, bitter crystals, or white granules or powder; permanent in air. d 2.66; mp 1067°. One gram dissolves in 8.3 ml water, 4 ml boiling water, 75 ml glycerol. Insol in alcohol. Its soly in water is decreased by KCl or (NH4)2SO4 and is practically insol in a saturated soln of the latter. The aq soln is neutral. pH about 7.
Melting point: mp 1067°
Density: d 2.66
CAUTION: Swallowing large doses causes severe G.I. irritation.
Use: Technical grades are used in fertilizers for manuf of potassium alum, potassium carbonate and glass; the reagent grade is used in the Kjeldahl determination of nitrogen.
Therap-Cat: Cathartic.
Keywords: Laxative/Cathartic.
