Potassium Permanganate: Structure and Formula
Potassium permanganate is not as popular as other chemical compounds, but we probably encounter it more often than we think. Potassium permanganate, also known as permanganate of potash or Condy's crystals, is a chemical compound consisting of two ions: a potassium ion and a permanganate ion.
The physical state of potassium permanganate is an odorless solid, and they look like dark purple or bronze colored crystals. If we dissolve these crystals in water, the solution becomes purple in color. Potassium permanganate is able to oxidize many substances, so it is very well known as a strong oxidizing agent, a substance that accepts or takes electrons from other substances.
Uses Of Potassium Permanganate
Potassium permanganate has various uses in various fields, such as water treatment, organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and even in survival situations. In this section, we will discuss the various uses of potassium permanganate.
Water Treatment
Have you ever encountered water that did not smell or taste very good? Potassium permanganate is used in water treatment to remove odor-causing compounds and is also used to remove iron and manganese in water. Iron and manganese are two substances that commonly occur in water. We want these two substances removed, especially in our drinking water because if they remain there, the water will have a metallic taste.
Iron and manganese also need to be removed because if water is exposed to oxygen, the presence of these two substances can cause water staining, so the water will not appear desirable to drink. The iron in water, when exposed to oxygen, will cause the water to appear orange-brown in color, while manganese will give water a black color.
In some bodies of water, there are organisms whose population has grown rapidly and out of control, namely Asiatic clams and zebra mussels. Their numbers cause trouble, such as clogging water systems, damaging equipment, and affecting the water taste. Potassium permanganate helps to control these organisms by shortening their life spans.
A lot of work goes into treating water so that it is free from pathogens that cause disease. While disinfecting water is essential, the disinfectants can react with naturally occurring materials in water and form disinfection byproducts (DBPs) that can cause health issues. Again, potassium permanganate comes to the rescue. It disinfects water by attacking microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and algae and helps to control DBPs by reducing their formation.
Organic and Analytical Chemistry
In organic and analytical chemistry laboratories, potassium permanganate is a very valuable reagent. In organic chemistry, potassium permanganate is used to synthesize and react with different organic compounds. In analytical chemistry, potassium permanganate is used to find out the amount of material that can be oxidized in a chemical sample, and this amount is aptly referred to as the permanganate value. For example, it is used to find the Kappa number, or the estimate of how much chemicals needs to be used to bleach wood pulp, the fibrous material when fibers of wood are separated and later made into paper where whiteness is important.
Cleaninga Preserving Produce
There are times when we give in to the urge of buying a big bag of fruit. The problem with this is, some of them may go bad before we get a chance to eat them. We want to increase the storage period of fruits, and to do this, we can pack the fruits in a plastic bag with potassium permanganate inside. This can double the fruit's lifespan without refrigeration.
Cleaning fruits and vegetables before eating them is a must. We would normally just wash them in water, but we can go an extra mile by adding a small pinch of potassium permanganate in water and soaking our fruits and vegetables in them, then rinsing them prior to eating. This will kill possible bacteria and parasites present that cannot be done just
Uses Of Potassium Permanganate
Potassium permanganate has various uses in various fields, such as water treatment, organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and even in survival situations. In this section, we will discuss the various uses of potassium permanganate.
Water Treatment
Have you ever encountered water that did not smell or taste very good? Potassium permanganate is used in water treatment to remove odor-causing compounds and is also used to remove iron and manganese in water. Iron and manganese are two substances that commonly occur in water. We want these two substances removed, especially in our drinking water because if they remain there, the water will have a metallic taste.
Iron and manganese also need to be removed because if water is exposed to oxygen, the presence of these two substances can cause water staining, so the water will not appear desirable to drink. The iron in water, when exposed to oxygen, will cause the water to appear orange-brown in color, while manganese will give water a black color.
In some bodies of water, there are organisms whose population has grown rapidly and out of control, namely Asiatic clams and zebra mussels. Their numbers cause trouble, such as clogging water systems, damaging equipment, and affecting the water taste. Potassium permanganate helps to control these organisms by shortening their life spans.
A lot of work goes into treating water so that it is free from pathogens that cause disease. While disinfecting water is essential, the disinfectants can react with naturally occurring materials in water and form disinfection byproducts (DBPs) that can cause health issues. Again, potassium permanganate comes to the rescue. It disinfects water by attacking microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and algae and helps to control DBPs by reducing their formation.
Organic and Analytical Chemistry
In organic and analytical chemistry laboratories, potassium permanganate is a very valuable reagent. In organic chemistry, potassium permanganate is used to synthesize and react with different organic compounds. In analytical chemistry, potassium permanganate is used to find out the amount of material that can be oxidized in a chemical sample, and this amount is aptly referred to as the permanganate value. For example, it is used to find the Kappa number, or the estimate of how much chemicals needs to be used to bleach wood pulp, the fibrous material when fibers of wood are separated and later made into paper where whiteness is important.
Cleaninga Preserving Produce
There are times when we give in to the urge of buying a big bag of fruit. The problem with this is, some of them may go bad before we get a chance to eat them. We want to increase the storage period of fruits, and to do this, we can pack the fruits in a plastic bag with potassium permanganate inside. This can double the fruit's lifespan without refrigeration.
Cleaning fruits and vegetables before eating them is a must. We would normally just wash them in water, but we can go an extra mile by adding a small pinch of potassium permanganate in water and soaking our fruits and vegetables in them, then rinsing them prior to eating. This will kill possible bacteria and parasites present that cannot be done just
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