Potassium Permanganate

Potassium permanganate, or potassium permanganate is a strong oxidant, therefore used for many synthesis treatments in the chemical industry. It has a violet colour. In addition to its oxidising properties, potassium permanganate is also used for its disinfectant properties and in deodorants. It generates strong exothermic reactions when mixed with many organic materials.

IDENTIFICATION AND PROPERTIES

Name: Potassium Permanganate
Synonyms: Potassium Permanganate, Potassium Manganate (VII)
CAS: 7722-64-7
EC: 231-760-3

• Appearance: Solid, powdery, dark purple with metallic sheen
• Odour: Odourless
• pH (10 g/l; 20ºC): 7-9
• Melting point: 240ºC
• Flammability (solid/gas): Non-flammable
• Relative density (20ºC): 2.7 (Water=1)
• Solubility in water (20ºC): 64 g/l
• Decomposition temperature: 240ºC
• Explosive properties: Non-explosive. May explode in contact with sulphuric acid, peroxides and metal powders.
• Oxidising properties: Strong oxidising

USES POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE

Some of the uses of potassium permanganate include:

• Oxidising agent in many chemical reactions in the laboratory and industry.
• In analytical chemistry, an aqueous solution of potassium permanganate is commonly used as an oxidising titrant in redox titrations because of its intense violet colour. When the aqueous potassium permanganate solution is in an acidic medium, the violet permanganate is reduced to the colourless Mn+2 cation. In neutral solutions, the permanganate is reduced to MnO2, cation +4, resulting in a brown precipitate. Finally, in alkaline or basic solutions, it is reduced to its +7 state, giving KMnO4, with the violet colour with which potassium permanganate is known.
• It also has disinfectant and deodorant properties. It is used to treat some parasitic diseases of fish, or in the treatment of some skin conditions such as fungus or dermatosis. It can also be used as a remedy for some poisonings with oxidisable poisons such as elemental phosphorus or snakebites.
• A common application is in the treatment of drinking water. In Africa, many people use it to soak vegetables in order to neutralise any bacteria that may be present.
• Very dilute solutions of potassium permanganate can be used as a mouthwash (dilution of at least 0.15 %), and as a hand disinfectant (about 1.8 %).