Assay of Hydrogen Peroxide

Materials
2 ml of hydrogen peroxide solution
20 ml of diluted sulfuric acid
0.1 N potassium permanganate
Water

Pre-Calculations
V= g
(N)(gmew)
V= 0.001701
(0.0170)(0.1)
V=1.0006 mL

Procedure
1. Pipet 1.5 ml of hydrogen peroxide solution into a suitable flask containing 20 ml of water.
2. Add 20 ml diluted nitric acid, and titrate with 0.1 N potassium permanganate.
*Each milliliter of 0.1 N potassium permanganate is equivalent to 1.701 mg of hydrogen peroxide.

*The titration must be conducted in acid solution to maintain a reasonably constant hydrogen-ion
concentration. The pink color of permanganate is distinct when a drop in excess of that required to
oxidize all the sample has been added. Although the hydrogen peroxide generally acts as an oxidixing
agent and is reduced to water, in this assay it reduces the Potassium permanganate while it is being
oxidized to oxygen.

Chemical Reaction:
5H 2 O 2 + 2KMnO 4 + 3H 2SO 4  5O 2  + 2MnSO 4 + K 2SO 4 + 8H 2 O

The equation shows that one molecule of Hydrogen peroxide loses two electrons; hence the
1
2
equivalent weight of Hydrogen peroxide is gram-molecular weight or 17.01g. consequently,
0.001701g or 1.7 mg of H2O2

To comply with USP definition, a solution of hydrogen peroxide should contain not less than 2.5 g and
not more than 3.5 g of H2O2 per 100 mL.

SAMPLE DATA:

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

Volume of sample 2.3 mL 2.4 mL 2.5 mL

Normality of potassium 0.1 N 0.1 N 0.1 N

permanganate

Volume consumed of 38.9 38.5 37.5

potassium
permanganate
GmEW of Hydrogen 0.0170 0.0170 0.0170
peroxide

TRIAL 1
(0.1)(38.9)(0.0170)(100)
% H 202   2.87%
2.3
TRIAL 2
(0.1)(38.5)(0.0170)(100)
% H 202   2.73%
2.4
TRIAL 3
(0.1)(37.5)(0.0170)(100)
% H 202   2.55%
2.5

RESULTS
8.15
 2.72%
3