Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Potassium

Potassium is a chemical element (symbol K, atomic number 19), a soft, highly reactive alkali metal that readily forms the monovalent K+ cation and does not occur free in nature. The potassium ion is the principal intracellular cation in living organisms, and the electrochemical gradient maintained across cell membra…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 12 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 67× across the literature 🔖 ISSN 2377-2549 🗓 Reviewed June 2026

Overview

Potassium is a chemical element (symbol K, atomic number 19), a soft, highly reactive alkali metal that readily forms the monovalent K+ cation and does not occur free in nature. The potassium ion is the principal intracellular cation in living organisms, and the electrochemical gradient maintained across cell membranes by Na+/K+-ATPase underlies membrane potential, nerve impulse conduction, muscle contraction, and fluid and acid-base balance. Disturbances of potassium homeostasis, such as hypokalaemia, can have pronounced physiological consequences, including effects on neuromuscular excitability illustrated by channel mutations linked to periodic paralysis. In analytical and synthetic chemistry, potassium compounds serve diverse roles: potassium iodate functions as an oxidant in iodometric determination of amino acids, and potassium salts act as reagents and counter-ions in nucleoside synthesis and other transformations. Potassium is also quantified as an essential mineral in studies of tissue and food composition, alongside elements such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, and manganese, and its intake is relevant to blood-pressure regulation and cardiovascular health. Determination of potassium content thus spans chemical, nutritional, and clinical contexts. The journal publishes peer-reviewed research on the chemistry of potassium and its compounds and on analytical methods for elemental determination.

Research published in this journal

12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 12 articles above have been cited 67 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Potassium, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in New Developments in Chemistry (ISSN 2377-2549).

Journal editorial board
Annarita Del Gatto · Italy Bharat Gurale · United States Palani ELUMALAI · United Kingdom

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.