Name: ______________________

Analysis of Hydrogen Peroxide

Background
Hydrogen peroxide is useful as an antiseptic due to its ability to kill certain types of
bacteria. It is sold commercially as a 3% solution. Hydrogen peroxide easily breaks down
into water and oxygen gas due to heat, light or catalysts. In order to determine if the
amount of H2O2 is present at 3% a redox titration is performed using potassium
permanganate in acidic solution. Hydrogen peroxide is a clear liquid and the
permanganate ion is a deep purple color that turns clear as the manganese is reduced.
Titration is a simple low cost procedure used in pharmaceutical quality assurance. During
this titration the hydrogen peroxide is oxidized as the manganese ion is reduced.

Pre-lab Questions
1. Balance the oxidation half-reaction (acidic solution):

H2O2(aq) O2(g) + H+ (aq)

2. Balance the reduction half-reaction (acidic Solution):

MnO4-  Mn+2

3. Complete the net ionic equation using the two half-reactions above.

4. Considering the net ionic equation what is the mole ratio of peroxide to
permanganate ion?

5. Proper titration technique requires the buret be rinsed first with distilled H2O and then with
two 5-mL portions of potassium permanganate solution. What is the purpose of
using the two 5-mL portions of potassium permanganate solution?

6. How can the end point be determined during the titration?

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Problem/Objective
Does commercial hydrogen peroxide solution contain 3% hydrogen peroxide?

Materials
 Distilled water, 100 mL
 Hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, commercial antiseptic solution, 3 mL
 Potassium permanganate solution, KMnO4, 0.025 M, 75 mL
 Sulfuric acid solution, H2SO4, 6 M, 15 mL
 Beaker, 100- or 150-mL
 Buret, 50-mL, and buret clamp
 Erlenmeyer flasks, 125-mL
 2 Graduated cylinder, 10- or 25-mL
 Labels and/or markers
 Pipet, volumetric or serological, 1-mL
 Pipet bulb
 Ring stand
 Wash bottle
 Waste disposal beaker, 250 mL

Safety
 Always wear safety goggles when handling chemicals in the lab.
 Wash your hands thoroughly before leaving the lab.
 Follow the teacher’s instructions for cleanup of materials and disposal of
chemicals.
 When working with acids and bases, if any solution gets on your skin
immediately rinse the area with water.
 When diluting acids, always add acid to water.
 Sulfuric acid solution is severely corrosive to eyes, skin, and other body tissues.
 Notify your teacher and clean up all acid spills immediately.
 Potassium permanganate solution is a skin and eye irritant and a strong stain-it
will stain skin and clothing. Avoid contact of all chemicals with eyes and skin.

Procedure
1. Get about 75 mL of the potassium permanganate standard solution in a small
beaker.

2. Record the precise molarity of the permanganate solution in the data table, this
remains constant for all 3 trials.

3. Rinse a clean 50-mL buret using proper technique. First rinse the buret with
distilled H2O and then with two 5-mL portions of potassium permanganate solution.

4. Clamp the buret to a ring stand using a buret clamp and place a waste beaker
under the buret. Fill the buret with potassium permanganate solution until the liquid
level is just above the zero mark.

5. To remove air bubbles from the tip, open the buret to allow some liquid to escape.
Close the stopcock when the liquid level in the buret is between the 0- and 5-mL
mark.

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 6. Record the precise level of the solution in the buret as the initial volume of the
potassium permanganate solution for Trial 1.

7. Using a volumetric pipet, transfer 1.00 mL of the commercial hydrogen peroxide

solution into a 125-mL Erlenmeyer flask and add about 25 mL of distilled water to
the flask.

8. Measure 5 mL of 6M sulfuric acid into a graduated cylinder and slowly add the acid
to the solution in the Erlenmeyer flask.

9. Place the flask under the buret so that the tip of the buret is within the flask but at
least 2 cm above the liquid surface.

10. Place a piece of white paper under the flask to make it easier to detect
the endpoint.

11. Open the buret stopcock and allow 5-8 mL of the potassium permanganate
solution to flow into the flask. Swirl the flask and observe the color changes in the
solution.

12. Continue to add the potassium permanganate solution slowly, drop-by-drop,

while swirling the flask. Use a wash bottle to rinse the sides of the flask with
distilled water during the titration to ensure that all of the reactants mix
thoroughly.

13. When a light pink color persists in the titrated solution while swirling the
flask, the endpoint has been reached. Close the stopcock and record the volume as
the final volume of the permanganate solution in the data table (Trial 1).

14. Subtract the initial volume of the permanganate solution from the final
volume to obtain the volume of KMnO4 added and record in the data table.

15. Pour the titrated solution into a waste disposal beaker and rinse the flask
with distilled water.

16. Repeat the titration two more times (Trials 2 and 3). Record all data in the
data table.

Data Table

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average

Molarity of
KMnO4
Initial Volume

Final Volume

Volume added

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Calculations

1. Calculate the average volume of permanganate added to the flask.

2. Using the average volume, calculate the moles of permanganate added to the flask.

3. Using the balanced equation determine the number of grams of hydrogen peroxide.

4. The density of the hydrogen peroxide can be assumed to be 1.0 g/mL. Calculate the
percent hydrogen peroxide in the solution.

Analysis
1. How does the value calculated of percent hydrogen peroxide compare to the value
on the bottle?

2. If too much permanganate were used during the titration, how would that affect the
amount of hydrogen peroxide calculated to be in the bottle?

3. If not enough acid is used the permanganate only reduces to MnO 2, how would that
affect the amount of hydrogen peroxide calculated to be in the bottle?

Conclusion
Write a conclusion which includes how your experiment did or did not answer the
objective. Include any possible errors and how they affected the calculations. Include any
improvements you would make if you repeated this experiment.

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