Potassium nitrite Potassium nitrite Potassium nitrite (distinct from potassium nitrate) is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K and nitrite ions NO, which forms a white or slightly yellow, hygroscopic crystalline powder that is soluble in water. It is a strong oxidizer and may accelerate the combustion of other materials. Like other nitrite salts such as sodium nitrite, potassium nitrite is toxic if swallowed, and laboratory tests suggest that it may be mutagenic or teratogenic. Gloves and safety glasses are usually used when handling potassium nitrite. Nitrite is present at trace levels
Chemical element These are often a single capital letter, and the letters are reserved and not used for names of specific elements. For example, an "X" indicates a variable group (usually a halogen) in a class of compounds, while "R" is a radical, meaning a compound structure such as a hydrocarbon chain. The letter "Q" is reserved for "heat" in a chemical reaction. "Y" is also often used as a general chemical symbol, although it is also the symbol of yttrium. "Z" is also frequently used as a general variable group. "E" is used in organic chemistry to denote an electron-withdrawing group