Potassium Citrate Monohydrate

Brief Overview

Potassium citrate (also known as tripotassium citrate) is a potassium salt of citric acid. It is a white, hygroscopic crystalline powder. It is odorless with a saline taste. It contains 38.3% potassium by mass. In the monohydrate form it is highly hygroscopic and deliquescent.

Manufacturing Process

Citric acid is first produced using a fermentation process. After fermentation, further processing is required to separate unwanted by-products as well as purify the citric acid itself. Adding potassium hydroxide to citric acid results in the formation of potassium citrate crystals. These crystals are separated from the solution for use as a food additive.

Food Industry

As a food additive, potassium citrate monohydrate is used to regulate acidity. It is also used in many soft drinks as a buffering agent. Potassium citrate can adjust the pH when added to water to form buffer solutions. It is also used as stabilizers, antioxidants, emulsifiers, flavoring agents and the like.

Pharmaceutical Industry

Potassium citrate is an effective way to treat or manage gout and arrhythmia, if the patient is hypokalemic. Potassium citrate is widely used to treat urinary calculi (kidney stones) and is often used by patients with cystinuria. Also, potassium citrate can help to eliminate waste from the blood and urine. It is used for this purpose in dogs and cats, but is chiefly employed as a non-irritating diuretic.

Agriculture Industry

It is employed as element in high-efficient compound fertilizer, as well as be applied in paper making and gilding, and as a food additive to regulate acidity. The potassium citrate supplementation or increased fruit and vegetables intake on bone metabolism.