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 neutrons) for a particular isotope of an element, with this number combined with the pertinent element's symbol. IUPAC prefers that isotope symbols be written in superscript notation when practical, for example C and U. However, other notations, such as carbon-12 and uranium-235, or C-12 and U-235, are also used. As a special case, the three naturally occurring isotopes of the element hydrogen are often specified as H for H (protium), D for H (deuterium), and T for H (tritium). This convention is easier to use in chemical equations, replacing the need to write out the mass number for each atom.