Potassium nitrate

from source

KNO3 · 101.103 g/mol

Saltpeter · Nitrate of potash · Niter · Salt peter

What is Potassium nitrate?

Saltpeter, one of the three ingredients of gunpowder, and the curing salt that keeps ham pink. It also sells as stump remover and as fertiliser. Found in cured meat. from source

CategoryEveryday chemistry

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Fig. 1 · 2D structure RDKit

SMILES[N+](=O)([O-])[O-].[K+]

Where you'll find it

Cured meatwhat else is in it →Garden and pest controlwhat else is in it →

Curated by MoleculeFinder from source

Relative acute toxicity from source

Animal study data · LD50

Reported LD50: 3,015 mg/kg · very low toxicity
Species: rat
Route: oral

An LD50 describes acute toxicity under experimental conditions and is not a safe or dangerous dose for a person.

Toxicity & hazards

Toxicity · LD50

3,015 mg/kg · very low toxicity · LD50 rat oral from source

2 more reported values

1,901 mg/kgLD50 · oral · rabbit
3,750 mg/kgLD50 · oral · rat

DangerOxidizerIrritantHealth hazardH272, H303, H315, H319, H335, H361, H370, H371, H372, H373from source

Keep roaming

Where Potassium nitrate leads

Relatedcomputed

Sodium nitrate75% similar

Sources & methodology

PubChem CID: 24434
Wikidata: Q177836
Structure: PubChem → RDKit
LD50: PubChem
Similar molecules: MoleculeFinder fingerprint similarity
Everyday relationships: MoleculeFinder editorial curation
Data refreshed: September 13, 2026

How MoleculeFinder sources and labels its data