Assay of Hydrogen Peroxide by Permanganometry

Chemicals
Hydrogen Peroxide, Potassium permanganate, oxalic acid
Principle: It is an aqueous solution containing hydrogen peroxide, not less than 5% w/v and
not more than 7.0% w/v of H2O2 corresponding to 20 volume strength. It has not more than
0.025 % w/v of suitable stabilising agent. Twenty volume strength means that it gives 20
times its volume of oxygen on complete decomposition by heat.
Procedure:
Preparation of 0.1 N potassium permanganate

Equivalent Weight = Molecular Weight / No. of electrons transferred = 158/5 = 31.6≈32

So, 32 gm of KMnO4 when dissolved in 1000 ml of water = 1N KMnO4
Weigh 0.32 g of KMnO4 accurately and put in the volumetric flask and add 30 ml water and
stir till it get dissolved, make up the volume till 100 ml
As potassium permanganate is not a primary standard it can be standardized by using
sodium oxalate or oxalic acid. The former is preferred over oxalic acid as available in a higher
standard of purity (99.95%). It’s available in the anhydrous form.

Preparation of 0.1 N Oxalic acid

Equivalent weight of Na2C2O4 = Molecular weight / 2 = 134.01/ 2 = 63.01
63.01 gm of oxalic acid when dissolved in 1000ml of water = 1N oxalic acid
6.301 gm of oxalic acid when dissolved in 1000ml of water = 0.1N oxalic acid
0.6301 gm of oxalic acid when dissolved in 100ml of water = 0.1N oxalic acid
 Standardization of potassium permanganate solution
Take 10 ml of the 0.1 N oxalic acid and put this solution into a conical flask and add 2.5 ml of
conc. H2SO4 along the side of the flask. Warm the contents swirled contents up to 70ºC.
Titrate against potassium permanganate solution from the burette until a faint pink colour
persists for 30 sec upon shaking the flask. Repeat the process until 3 concordant readings
will be obtained.

N1V1=N2V2
Where N1=Normality of (COOH)2. 2H2O
N2=Normality of KMnO4
V1=Volume of (COOH)2. 2H2O
V2=Volume of KMnO4
Procedure for the assay of hydrogen peroxide

Dilute Hydrogen peroxide 10 to 25 ml with water, add 5 normal sulphuric acid solution ( 5

ml) and titrate with 0.1 normal potassium permanganate solution to a permanent pink end

point.

Hydrogen peroxide has both oxidising and reducing properties but if titrated

against an acidified potassium permanganate solution (stronger oxidising agent), it acts as a

reducing agent. When hydrogen peroxide is reacted with potassium permanganate, it is

oxidized into oxygen. High concentration of the acid is used to prevent the formation of

manganese dioxide which may cause the composition of hydrogen peroxide.

Each ml of 0.1 normal KMnO4 solution is equivalent to 0.01701 grams of H2O2

Titre value x Equivalent wt factor x Normality of NaOH(actual)

%= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- x100
Weigh of sample x Normality of titrant (expected)
REPORT: The percentage purity of the given sample of ammonium chloride is……