We are exposed to a lot of chemistry in our daily life. Respiration, photosynthesis, food preparation, burning of fuels like coal and petroleum, washing clothes and household goods, and plenty of other activities involve chemistry. It is therefore a good idea to know the melting point of potassium iodide, so that you can easily identify it in your home or workplace and take necessary steps to protect yourself from the dangers posed by it.
Potassium iodide, also known as Kl or KI, is a chemical compound, medication, and dietary supplement that has been used to treat thyroid issues such as hyperthyroidism and to protect the thyroid gland in radiation emergencies. It can also be used as an expectorant to loosen and variable mucus within the lungs, so that people with chronic lung problems such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema can breathe more easily.
It is also used in some laboratory reactions as a source of iodide ion. It is soluble in water and acetone, but it decomposes on long exposure to air, becoming yellow from the liberation of iodine and small quantities of iodate are formed; moisture accelerates this degradation. KI solutions are slightly corrosive and may form hydrogen and nitrogen oxides on heating.
KI is added to table salt in small amounts to make it “iodized”, and a saturated solution of it is used as a treatment for sporotrichosis (a fungal disease). It can also be used to treat certain types of breast cysts. Excessive usage can cause rashes, dermatitis herpetiformis and hypothyroidism in adults and sialadenitis in children. It can also irritate the skin, nose and throat and interfere with the digestive tract.