FROM FIREWORKS TO FUNERALS

SOFTENING WATER

Potassium chloride is often used instead of sodium chloride in ion exchange water softeners. In this process, brine washes over resin in the softener unit and the hard mineral ions in the water, such as calcium and magnesium, are replaced with the sodium or potassium. Potassium chloride may be a better choice than sodium chloride for people who are trying to reduce their sodium intake and those who are concerned about the environment, because potassium chloride is deemed a healthy nutrient for both humans and plants.

Every plant and animal cell on earth requires potassium ‒ an important component of potash ‒ to function. Plants absorb potassium, depleting it from the soil, and potash fertilizers (in the form of potassium carbonate, or K2CO3) are used to replace it. But it’s not just agriculture that benefits from potassium’s unique qualities. Other common compounds of potassium, including potassium chloride, (KCL), potassium hydroxide (KOH), potassium superoxide (KO2), and potassium nitrate (KNO3), have important applications for everyday use.

CREMATION

A method of cremation that uses less energy than the traditional combustion method – and therefore is considered more ecofriendly – utilizes a potassium hydroxide solution to reduce the body to bone fragments. The body is placed into a pressurized stainless steel cremation chamber, and the temperature is raised to 350°F. The water, alkali, heat and pressure circulated over the body complete the cremation process. At least one Saskatchewan funeral home, Gray’s Funeral Chapel in Prince Albert, uses this method.

SOAP MAKING

Potassium hydroxide, commonly called caustic potash, is used in making soaps and cleaners. It is a strong base and neutralizes the fatty acids in the oils used, a process called saponification, or “soap making.” If too little potassium hydroxide is used to saponify all the acids in liquid soap, the soap will be cloudy. Potassium hydroxide flakes can be purchased for making liquid soaps at home. Because of the product’s extremely caustic nature, rubber gloves must be worn when handling it.

LIGHTING AND DOUSING FIRES

Various forms of potassium can be used either to ignite or to extinguish fires. Potassium nitrate is used along with sulphur and charcoal in the manufacture of gunpowder (found in both firearms and fireworks) and potassium chlorate helps to make oxygen available to sustain the flame on the tip of a match. To extinguish flammable liquid fires at industrial and commercial properties, dry fire extinguishers containing potassium bicarbonate are often kept on hand. Potassium-acetate-based wet chemical extinguishers are often used for class K fires, which include those that occur in cooking oils.

TREATING DISEASE

Potassium is critical to the proper functioning of nerve and muscles cells, particularly heart muscle cells. A deficiency of potassium in the human body is known as hypokalemia, and it can be treated with potassium chloride, a salt composed of potassium and chloride. A diet rich in the appropriate vegetables is usually the best way of preventing and treating the disease, but, in severe cases, potassium chloride can be quickly absorbed by the body when ingested as a supplement.