Mercuric potassium iodide

Synonyms

Nessler reagent; Potassium tetraiodomercurate; Channing's solution; Dipotassium tetraiodomercurate; Dipotassium tetraiodomercurate(2-); Mayer's reagent; Mercurate(2-), tetraiodo-, dipotassium; Mercuric potassium iodide, solid; Mercury potassium iodide; Mercury potassium iodide (K2HgI4); Mercury(II) potassium iodide; Nessler reagent; Potassium iodomercurate; Potassium mercuric iodide; Potassium mercuriiodide; Potassium mercury iodine; Potassium tetraiodomercurate (II); Potassium tetraiodomercurate(II); Solution potassium iodohydragyrate; [ChemIDplus] UN1643

Category

Mercury Compounds, Inorganic

Description

Yellow odorless solid; Deliquescent in air; [Hawley] Light yellow crystalline solid; [MSDSonline]

Sources/Uses

Used for detecting trace amounts of ammonia and as a topical anti-infective and disinfectant; [HSDB]

Comments

Highly toxic by ingestion; Also toxic by inhalation and dermal exposure; [Hawley] Concern about effects on fetal thyroid, but no studies found; [REPROTOX] An irritant; Can be absorbed through skin; [MSDSonline] See "Mercury, inorganic compounds" and the linked occupational disease. See "Iodine" for the TLV of Iodides.

Biomedical References

Yes

0.025 mg/m3, as Hg (0.01 ppm, inhalable fraction and vapor (iodides))

0.1 mg/m3, as Hg

0.02 mg/m3, as Hg, inhalable fraction

10 mg/m3, as Hg

Sensorimotor

Hepatoxic (a) from occupational exposure (secondary effect) or (b) in animal studies or in humans after ingestion

Yes

Yes

Other Information

No other related information on this agent was found.