[1] Potassium Picrate and picric acid were formerly used in pyrotechnics to produce whistle effects, but since mixes that don't involve primary explosives have since been developed it is no longer used in that industry.

As picric acid is barely soluble in water the reaction must be done in an appropriate solvent like methanol.

Temperature control is important to prevent detonation or excessive methanol evaporation.

According to Urbanski, Potassium picrate detonated 10% of the time when struck by a mass of 2kg dropped from the height of 21cm.

By comparison, the more sensitive anhydrous lead picrate detonated 10% of the time when struck by the same mass dropped from the height of 2cm.