在潮湿空气中分解。能被无机酸分解而析出黄原酸，分解为乙醇和二硫化碳。易溶于水，溶于乙醇，微溶于乙醚，水溶液呈强碱性。低毒，半数致死量(大鼠，经口)1700mg/kg。有刺激性。 测定硫化氢与硫化铵组的金属，如铜、银、镍、汞、钼等。测定生物碱。沉淀蛋白质。金属矿浮选剂。有机合成。 Potassium ethyl xanthogenate (ethyl potassium xanthogenate) has been used: in synthesis of unsymmetrical sulfides via cross-coupling reaction, using recyclable CuO nanoparticles under ligand-free conditions as surfactant to investigate the adsorption of colloidal dye Disperse Blue 3 onto pretreated polyester fabric in determination of microgram amounts of cadmium in water samples by substoichiometric radiochemical method