Potassium iodide

Chemical properties

Potassium iodide is a white crystals, granules, or powder; strong, bitter, saline taste. becomes yellowish when exposed to bright light due to photochemical decomposition liberating traces of free iodine. Soluble in water, alcohol, acetone, and glycerol. slightly soluble in ether and ammonia. In solution it has the interestingproperty of dissolving iodine to formthe triiodide ion I3-, which is brown.

Occurrence

Potassium iodide is found in seaweed. Some important applications of this compound involve its use in pharmaceuticals and as a source of iodine in food,especially in animal and poultry feed. Potassium iodide is added to table salt to provide iodine in human food.
Another major use is in making photographic emulsions. In analytical chemistry, potassium iodide is used in iodometric titration with starch indicator to analyze dissolved oxygen, dissolved chlorine, sulfide, and other analytes in water.

The Uses of Potassium iodide

Potassium Iodide is a source of iodine and a nutrient and dietary supplement. it exists as crystals or powder and has a solubility of 1 g in 0.7 ml of water at 25°c. it is included in table salt for the preven- tion of goiter.Potassium Iodide is used primarily used in the treatment of radiation poisoning due to environmental contamination by iodine-131. It is also manufacture of photographic emulsions; in animal and poultry feeds to the extent of 10-30 parts per million; in table salt as a source of iodine and in some drinking water; also In animal chemistry. In medicine,potassium iodide is used to regulate the thyroid gland.

Indications

Potassium iodide is an oral antithyroid agent used to prevent the thyroid gland from absorbing radioactive iodine during a nuclear radiation emergency. Potassium iodide can be used as an adjunct to other antithyroid drugs for the treatment of hyperthyroidism and thyrotoxicosis, and for preoperative induction of thyroid involution.

Background

Saturated solution of Potassium Iodide (SSKI) is used pharmaceutically for emergency use in patients experiencing acute symptoms of severe hyperthyroidism (also known as thyroid storm or thyrotoxic crisis). SSKI can also be used for radioiodine-contamination emergencies or in preparation of thyrotoxic patients for thyroidectomy.

Definition

ChEBI: Potassium iodide is a metal iodide salt with a K(+) counterion. A compound that contains pentavalent iodine, which is usually ionically bound to electropositive atoms. It is a scavenger of hydroxyl radicals. It has a role as a radical scavenger and an expectorant. It contains an iodide. It is a type of iodine that is not radioactive and can be used to help block one type of radioactive material, radioactive iodine (I-131), from being absorbed by the thyroid.

Preparation

Potassium iodide is made by absorption of iodine in potassium hydroxide:
I2 + 6KOH → 5KI + KIO3 + 3H2O
Most potassium iodate, KIO3 , is separated from the product mixture by crystallization and filtration. Remaining iodates are removed by evaporation of the solution and other processes, such as carbon reduction or thermal decompostion at 600oC to iodide:
2KIO3 → 2KI + 3O2
Another method of preparation that does not involve the formation of iodate is by treating iron turnings with iodine solution. The product, ferrosoferric iodide, Fe3I8?16H2O, is boiled with 15 wt% potassium carbonate solution:
Fe3I8.16H2O + 4K2CO3 → 8 KI + 4CO2 + Fe3O4 + 16H2O
A similar method is used to prepare potassium bromide, discussed earlier (see Potassium Bromide.)
Potassium iodide can be prepared by reacting hydriodic acid with potassium bicarbonate:
HI + KHCO3 → KI + CO2 + H2O
It is purified by melting in dry hydrogen.
Potassium iodide also may be obtained by various electrolytic processes.

Potassium iodide Application

Potassium iodide was first used as the primary halide in Talbot’s calotype process, then in the albumen on glass process followed by the wet collodion process. It was also used as a secondary halide in silver bromide gelatin emulsions, animal feeds, catalysts, photographic chemicals, and for sanitation. Potassium iodide is produced by reaction of potassium hydroxide with iodine. The product is purified by crystallization from water. 

brand name

Iosat (Anbex); Thyro-Block (Medpointe); Thyrosafe (R R Registrations); Thyroshield (Fleming).

General Description

Potassium iodide is an odorless white solid. Sinks and mixes with water. (USCG, 1999)

Air & Water Reactions

Water soluble.

Reactivity Profile

Bromine trifluoride rapidly attacks the following salts: barium chloride, cadmium chloride, calcium chloride, cesium chloride, lithium chloride, silver chloride, rubidium chloride, potassium bromide, potassium chloride, Potassium iodide, rhodium tetrabromide, sodium bromide, sodium chloride, and sodium iodide [Mellor 2, Supp. 1:164, 165. 1956].

Health Hazard

May irritate eyes or open cuts.

Pharmacokinetics

Potassium iodide works in the thyroid gland. By inhibiting thyroid hormone synthesis and release, thyroid gland vascularity is reduced, thyroid gland tissue becomes firmer, thyroid cell size is reduced, follicular colloid reaccumulates, and bound iodine levels increase. As a protectant following radiation exposure, KI blocks the uptake of radioactive iodine isotopes by the thyroid gland thereby minimizing the risk of radiation-induced thyroid neoplasms.

Clinical Use

Potassium iodide is used to treat the cutaneous lymphatic form of sporotrichosis, although newer agents are also effective in this disorder and may be better tolerated tolerated. The drug is also used for erythema nodosum and nodular vasculitis.

Safety Profile

Poison by intravenous route. Moderately toxic by ingestion and intraperitoneal routes. Human teratogenic effects by ingestion: developmental abnormalities of the endocrine system. Experimental teratogenic and reproductive effects. Mutation data reported. Explosive reaction with charcoal + ozone, trifluoroacetyl hypofluorite, fluorine perchlorate. Violent reaction or ignition on contact with dazonium salts, diisopropyl peroxydicarbonate, bromine pentafluoride, chlorine trifluoride. Incompatible with oxidants, BrF3, FClO, metaltic salts, calomel. When heated to decomposition it emits very toxic fumes of K2O and I-. See also IODIDES.

Potassium iodide Application

Potassium iodide was first used as the primary halide in Talbot’s calotype process, then in the albumen on glass process followed by the wet collodion process. It was also used as a secondary halide in silver bromide gelatin emulsions, animal feeds, catalysts, photographic chemicals, and for sanitation. Potassium iodide is produced by reaction of potassium hydroxide with iodine.

Metabolism

Not Available

Purification Methods

Crystallise Potassium iodide from distilled water (0.5mL/g) by filtering the near-boiling solution and cooling. To minimise oxidation to iodine, the process can be carried out under N2 and the salt is dried under a vacuum over P2O5 at 70-100o. Before drying, the crystals can be washed with EtOH or with acetone followed by pet ether. It has also been recrystallised from water/ethanol. After 2 recrystallisations, ACS/USP grade had Li and Sb at <0.02 and <0.01 ppm respectively. [Lingane & Kolthoff Inorg Synth I 163 1939.]