Potassium nitrate is not used :

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as a fertilizer

in medicine

in making gunpowder

as a preservative of meat products

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UPSC CDS-2 – 2024

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Potassium nitrate (KNO3), also known as saltpeter or nitre, has several common uses. It is widely used as a fertilizer (source of potassium and nitrogen), as an oxidizing agent in black powder (gunpowder), and as a food additive (E252) for curing meat products. While potassium nitrate has historical medicinal mentions (e.g., as a diuretic), it is not commonly used as a primary medicine in modern pharmaceutical practice compared to its industrial and food preservation roles.

– Potassium nitrate is a source of potassium and nitrogen for plants.
– It is a strong oxidizing agent used in explosives.
– It acts as a preservative and curing agent in meat.

Modern medicine primarily relies on different compounds for the roles potentially associated with potassium nitrate historically. Its uses in fertilizer, gunpowder, and food preservation are well-established and current.

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