Lithium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. In medicine and food industry

Lithium hydroxide is an inorganic (that is, carbon-free) base of lithium- alkali metal. The substance has the formula LiOH.

Under standard conditions, the hydroxide is a colorless crystal. Outwardly they have the form of polyhedra with the correct arrangement of angles and sides. The crystals are based on a tetragonal lattice.

Lithium hydroxide is a very aggressive substance, therefore, when working with it, it is necessary to take safety measures: do not let it get on the exposed skin and, especially, on the mucous membranes. Work with this substance without protective equipment can not. Contact with mucous membranes or in the eyes leads to very severe chemical burns or blindness.

Lithium hydroxide can be obtained by chemical reactions of lithium metal, either oxide with water, lithium carbonate with calcium hydroxide, or by exchange reactions.

Reacting with acids or acidic oxides, LiOH gives salt and water. If the metal is heated in an inert atmosphere, it decomposes into lithium oxide and water.

Lithium hydroxide is necessary for the preparation of salts of this metal. These salts are part of the fillers for alkaline batteries. They are also used in gas masks, underwater and space vessels to absorb carbon dioxide. Without lithium salts, polymerization is impossible (it acts as a catalyst). The substance is widely used in the glass industry, in the manufacture of ceramics, lubricants, capable of carrying a large temperature difference. Today, more and more this substance is consumed for the production of lithium-ion power sources.

Interestingly, with lithium used to treat gout. Today it is known that metal is included in the complex treatment of drug addicts and pathological aggression. It is established: if there is a lot of lithium in drinking water in a certain region, people in this area are calmer, more balanced, kinder. Among them there are almost no rude people, brawlers, brawlers. Lithium prevents hypertension, activates the regeneration of bone marrow cells.

Colorless hygroscopic crystals (namely this type of potassium hydroxide) in everyday life are often called caustic potassium or caustic or caustic potash. The substance (KOH) is necessary for the production of liquid soap, some potassium compounds. Water crystals of caustic potassium have a pronounced alkaline reaction. Potassium hydroxide KOH is obtained by electrolysis of KCl solutions without using cathodes from mercury. Such reactions give a very pure substance with a minimal amount of impurities.

Potassium hydroxide is able to enter a neutralization reaction with acids, react (forming salt and water) with acidic oxides.

In the industry, KOH is used to produce methane, to determine cations in chemical solutions, to obtain potassium salts or to absorb acid gases. The product is widely used in the manufacture of soaps, shampoos, bleaches, foams or gels for shaving.

If some lithium compounds are spread in medicine (for the treatment of bipolar disorders, cyclothymia, schizophrenia, etc. disorders), then potassium hydroxide uses the food industry. This is one of the most common food additives - E525. The additive is used as an emulsifier and an acidity regulator. The harm of this additive is actively disputed. However, the prevailing opinion is that in small quantities it does not cause any particular harm to health. In the list of food additives, categorically banned in our country, it is not included.

Potassium hydroxide is an extremely aggressive and dangerous substance. Burns paper, destroys skin and other organic matter. That's why you can work with KOH only in special rubber gloves and glasses. Eye contact with this caustic substance often leads to blindness.