Potassium Bicarbonate - FCC USP Grade

Product Overview

Potassium Bicarbonate – FCC USP Grade (Potassium Hydrogen Carbonate) is a white crystalline salt with extensive utility as a buffering agent, pH regulator, and source of potassium in pharmaceutical, food, and industrial formulations. The compound KHCO₃ exhibits high water solubility, facilitating rapid dissolution and uniform dispersion in aqueous systems. Our USP Grade material adheres to stringent purity requirements (assay 99.0–100.5% via standardized acid-base titration) and is suitable for applications requiring pharmaceutical-grade quality and compliance with USP-NF Monograph and FCC standards. The product is supplied as a white crystalline powder with low odor and a typical density of ~2.18 g/mL, enabling precise formulation and dosing in both laboratory and production settings. The material's compatibility with common excipients and its controlled trace impurity profile (metals and anions within USP/FCC limits) support robust performance in buffer formulations, leavening, and pH adjustment procedures.

In addition to its role as an inorganic buffering agent, potassium bicarbonate serves as a nutritional potassium source in agricultural and food applications, while maintaining compatibility with standard sterilization and processing workflows. The product is manufactured and tested under documented quality control regimes to ensure consistency across batches, with traceability to the USP-NF Monograph and FCC Grade specifications. This enhanced COA emphasizes comprehensive impurity profiling, water content control, and validated test methods to support GMP, HACCP, and quality management programs in diverse sectors.

Key Properties

• Appearance: White crystalline powder
• Chemical Formula: KHCO₃
• Molecular Weight: 100.11 g/mol
• CAS: 298-14-6
• Solubility: Soluble in water
• Density (25°C): 1.58 g/mL
• Specific Gravity (25°C): 2.17–2.20 (typical 2.18)
• Melting Point: 64.5 °C (decomposes)
• Boiling Point: Not applicable
• Assay (wt %): 99.0–100.5 (typical 99.8) by titration
• Chloride (ppm): Max 50 (typical 20)
• Nitrate NO₃⁻ (ppm): Max 10 (typical 3)
• Heavy Metals (as Pb, ppm): Max 0.5 (typical 0.1)
• Arsenic (as As, ppm): Max 0.5 (typical 0.1)
• Iron (ppm): Max 0.3 (typical 0.05)
• Potassium (ppm): Max 1500 (typical 300)
• Sodium (ppm): Max 1000 (typical 200)
• Water Content: Max 0.2% (typical 0.05%)
• Residue After Ignition: Max 0.05% (typical 0.02%)
• pH in solution: Acidity meq max 0.5 (typical 0.1)

Common Applications

• Application Category: Buffering Agent in Pharmaceutical: Used to maintain and adjust formulation pH, ensuring stability of active ingredients and compatibility with excipients.
• Application Category: Food Additive: Leavening agent and pH regulator enabling controlled gas release and texture development in baked goods and reformulated products.
• Application Category: Agricultural Fertilizer: Potassium source for crop nutrition, improving plant vigor and soil balance when blended with micronutrients.
• Application Category: pH Adjuster in Water Treatment: Regulates alkalinity and buffering capacity across municipal and industrial water treatment processes.
• Application Category: Chemical Reagent in Laboratory: Serves as a standard inorganic salt in quantitative analyses, titrations, and preparative syntheses.
• Application Category: Pharmaceutical Excipient for parenteral and oral formulations where pH control and ionic balance are critical.
• Application Category: Catalytic/Buffer Medium in analytical chemistry workflows requiring stable KHCO₃ environments.

Safety Precautions

Handling and storage should follow standard chemical hygiene practices. Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight in HDPE or glass containers to minimize contamination and moisture uptake. Use appropriate PPE including gloves and safety goggles; ensure adequate ventilation to prevent dust inhalation. The product is non-combustible but may irritate eyes and skin upon contact; avoid inhalation of dust and contact with acids, which can release carbon dioxide gas.

Exposure guidelines and emergency procedures align with SDS recommendations. If eye or skin contact occurs, rinse thoroughly with water and seek medical advice if irritation persists. In case of accidental ingestion or inhalation, follow established first-aid measures and contact poison control or medical personnel. For transport, follow UN 1490, Potassium Bicarbonate, Class 9, Packing Group III guidelines. In the event of a spill, sweep up using non-sparking tools and dispose of in accordance with local regulations.

Benefits

✔ High Purity and Compliance – USP-NF and FCC Grade specifications with tight impurity limits support pharmaceutical and food-grade applications.
✔ Reliable pH Control – Excellent buffering capacity in diverse formulations, aiding stability and performance.
✔ Accurate Formulation – Precise density and assay values enable reproducible dosing and dosing calculations.
✔ Traceable Quality – Comprehensive COA with validated test methods ensures traceability and GMP alignment.