Potassium in food

This method is used to determine sodium and potassium in food, water and blood serum. The flame can be hydrogen/oxygen, methane/ oxygen or methane/air fueled. Wavelength selection can be by filter, prism Fig. 9.2 or grating and by either one or two detectors. 

White, R L. and Crocco, S. C. 1980. Sodium and Potassium in Foods and Drugs. American Medical Association, Chicago. 

Red blood cells, muscles, and brain tissue all need potassium. The body s lean tissues and kidneys also need a constant supply of potassium to function properly. People who are potassium deficient could experience muscle weakness, which can adversely affect the heart muscles. This can lead to the development of an irregular heartbeat and possibly even cardiac arrest. Certain medical conditions can cause potassium deficiency, such as starvation and certain kidney diseases. Diarrhea can cause a significant loss of potassium, causing symptoms of weakness and exhaustion. Because there is so much potassium in foods such as fruits and vegetables, however, chronic potassium deficiency is rare. 

Among atomic emission spectrometry (AES) methods, the classic flame photometric technique is still favored for determination of sodium and potassium in foods. 

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