For the science crew ... Is potassium gluconate flammable? 🔥🤔

[Kevin]

Well, here's a strange question, hopefully we have some science knowledgeable members. 😊

If a potassium gluconate tablet was split in half and accidentally ended up in the inner workings of a Keurig coffee maker, twice, is there any risk of it igniting 🔥 considering the main ingredient of potassium? 🤔

Is it time to go shopping for a new Keurig?

 

[CatsAreGods]

Nah, potassium as an elemental metal is entirely different from potassium bound in a chemical compound.

It's the same reason my nitroglycerin tablets don't explode!

Also: sodium is another flammable metal. Combine it with chlorine, a deadly gas, and you get...table salt.

 

[WhidbeyLVR]

Hopefully you can get a real chemist answer. But a potassium salt with high solubility that is used as a food additive seems unlikely to become a source of metallic potassium and unlikely to remain inside the coffee machine after a cycle or two. Or you could ask the chatbot. 🙄

 

[MountainMan79]

Why are you not asking the Camerabot?

 

[Brian]

https://us.virbac.com/files/live/sites/virbac-usa/files/mrm/SDS-Files/Tumil-K_Powder_SDS.pdf

10. STABILITY AND REACTIVITY Reactivity Data is not available.
Chemical Stability Stable under normal conditions.
Possibility of hazardous reactions Hazardous polymerization will not occur.
Conditions to Avoid: Heat - high temperatures
Incompatible Materials Strong oxidizers – strong acids – strong bases
Hazardous Decomposition Products Oxides of carbon – potassium oxides

Duck and Cover, baby, Duck and Cover..

 

[CatsAreGods]

Conditions to Avoid: Heat - high temperatures

Well, that begs the question. According to Wikipedia, it will decompose at 180 °C (356 °F), which is not a temperature you're likely to find in any coffee appliance.

 

[John King]

I do know that potassium tablets given to a vomiting, non-eating patient (me) will detonate on the upward slope of the duodenum, causing massive blood loss and emergency surgery ... 🙁 .

Three pints of red plus two litres of white, then a welding job.

Lovely photos of the craters and coronet craterlets ...

 

[John King]

Well, here's a strange question, hopefully we have some science knowledgeable members. 😊

If a potassium gluconate tablet was split in half and accidentally ended up in the inner workings of a Keurig coffee maker, twice, is there any risk of it igniting 🔥 considering the main ingredient of potassium? 🤔

Is it time to go shopping for a new Keurig?

Potassium Gluconate Oral: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing - WebMD

Find patient medical information for potassium gluconate oral on WebMD including its uses, side effects and safety, interactions, pictures, warnings and user ratings.

www.webmd.com

 

[WhidbeyLVR]

https://us.virbac.com/files/live/sites/virbac-usa/files/mrm/SDS-Files/Tumil-K_Powder_SDS.pdf

10. STABILITY AND REACTIVITY Reactivity Data is not available.
Chemical Stability Stable under normal conditions.
Possibility of hazardous reactions Hazardous polymerization will not occur.
Conditions to Avoid: Heat - high temperatures
Incompatible Materials Strong oxidizers – strong acids – strong bases
Hazardous Decomposition Products Oxides of carbon – potassium oxides

Duck and Cover, baby, Duck and Cover..

It’s the 20-30% desiccated pork liver that makes it especially dangerous!

 

[MountainMan79]

It’s the 20-30% desiccated pork liver that makes it especially dangerous!

We all know that, but you shouldn’t talk about @John King like that in front of him 😂
It’s not his fault he’s more dangerous due to the pork liver transplant he incurred after his duodenum exploded.

 

[John King]

We all know that, but you shouldn’t talk about @John King like that in front of him 😂
It’s not his fault he’s more dangerous due to the pork liver transplant he incurred after his duodenum exploded.

Nah. Had immediately prior had my mitral valve replaced with a nice pyrolytic carbon one made by St Jude Medical. That was 20 years ago, almost to the day.

I've had three other heart operations since then - two ablations and a pacemaker.

{Edit} The three bits have separate serial numbers that can be read with the right equipment. Could drive a conspiracy theorist nuts ... 🤣 .
{End edit}