Uses

Potassium Nitrate has been used throughout history and continues to be used in the present. Most commonly, when combined with nitrocellulose, nitroglycerin, sulfur and charcoal, potassium nitrate is used in gunpowder. Although gunpowder has been largely replaced by nitrocellulose-based powders because nitrocellulose-based powders limit the setbacks of gunpowder, including the release of a white puff of smoke and build up of obstructing residue. However, gunpowder, and in turn, potassium nitrate, is still used in TNT, fireworks, and other explosives. Today, potassium nitrate is widely used as fertilizer for its large amount of potassium, which is essential for plant growth. It can be utilized as a food preservative, although turns meat red when reacting with the myoglobin and hemoglobin in the blood, and has been put in toothpastes to soothe tooth sensitivity, Although, it can be extremely toxic to humans and is therefore only used in controlled amounts.