Potassium bicarbonate

About Potassium bicarbonate
Wikipedia Article About Potassium bicarbonate on Wikipedia

Potassium bicarbonate (also known as potassium hydrogen carbonate or potassium acid carbonate), is a colorless, odorless, slightly basic, salty substance. The compound is used as a source of carbon dioxide for leavening in baking, extinguishing fire in powder fire extinguishers, acting as a reagent, and a strong buffer in medications. The US FDA recognizes potassium bicarbonate as "generally recognized as safe". It is used as a base in foods to regulate pH.

Potassium bicarbonate is soluble in water, and is often found added to bottled water to affect taste; however it is not soluble in alcohol. Decomposition of the substance occurs between 100°C and 120°C into K 2 CO 3 (potassium carbonate), H 2 O (water), and CO 2 (carbon dioxide). In concentrations greater than 0.5%, KHCO 3 can have phytotoxic effects on plants (potassium bicarbonate has widespread use in crops, especially for neutralizing acidic soil), although there is no evidence of human carcinogenicity, no adverse effects of overexposure, and no LD50.