Potassium Alum

Synonyms: Alumen; alum flour; alum meal; alum potassium; aluminum potassium alum; aluminum potassium disulfate; aluminum potassium sulfate; dialuminum dipotassium sulfate; kalinite; potash alum; potassium aluminum sulfate (1 : 1 : 2); potassium aluminum sulfate-12-hydrate; rock alum; sulfuric acid aluminum potassium salt (2 : 1 : 1) dodecahydrate.

Description: The PhEur 6.0 describes potassium alum as a granular powder, or colorless, transparent, crystalline masses. The JP XV describes it as colorless or white crystals or powder. Potassium alum is odorless and has a slightly sweet, strongly astringent taste.

Chemical Name: Aluminum potassium sulfate anhydrous

Aluminum potassium sulfate dodecahydrate

Astringent.

• Potassium alum precipitates proteins and is a powerful astringent.

• The ability to precipitate proteins is utilized in the manufacture of vaccines, where purified proteins are coprecipitated with and adsorbed onto potassium alum.

• Potassium alum is often included in preparations used as mouthwashes or gargles and in dermatological preparations, and it may be used as a topical hemostatic, either as a solid or as a solution.

• Intravesical instillation of potassium alum, typically as a 1% solution, has been used for hemorrhagic cystitis.

Potassium alum is incompatible with strong oxidizing agents, aluminum, copper, steel, and zinc. When it is dispensed in powders with phenol, salicylates, or tannic acid, gray or green colors may be developed owing to traces of iron in the alum.

Potassium alum is often included in preparations used as mouthwashes or gargles and in dermatological preparations. Large doses of potassium alum act as an irritant and may be corrosive; gum necrosis and gastrointestinal hemorrhage have occurred. Acute encephalopathy has been reported following bladder irrigation with alum solutions in the treatment of bladder hemorrhage. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this practice should be avoided for patients with renal insufficiency

Observe normal precautions appropriate to the circumstances and quantity of the material handled. It causes eye and skin irritation and may cause respiratory tract irritation. During a fire, irritating and highly toxic gases may be generated by thermal decomposition or combustion of potassium alum. Hazardous decomposition products include oxides of sulfur, aluminum oxide, and oxides of potassium.