Pharmaceutical Analysis 1 (Quantitative Pharmaceutical Chemistry)

Name: _______________________________________________________________________
Yr & Section: ___________________

Laboratory Activity No. ___

ASSAY OF HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this activity, you should be able to:

1. assay hydrogen peroxide by direct permanganate method (REDOX)

2. aware of the importance of assaying by direct permanganate method

DISCUSSION:

The assay of hydrogen peroxide is determined under direct titration of

Oxidation-reduction (REDOX) reaction. Sulfuric acid is added during the titration to
maintain a reasonably constant hydrogen-ion concentration. The pink color of
permanganate is distinct when a drop in excess of the required amount is added to oxidize
the entire sample that is added.

Although the hydrogen peroxide generally acts as an oxidizing agent and is

reduced to water (H2O2), in this assay the hydrogen peroxide reduces the permanganate
while it is being oxidized to oxygen (O2). So, hydrogen peroxide in this assay acts as
reducing agent.

MATERIALS:

Hydrogen peroxide solution, any brand, 3-4% or labeled as 10 volumes

Sulfuric acid, 2 N
Potassium permanganate, 0.1 N
Acid buret
Fisher stand
Erlenmeyer flask
Pipet, 5 mL

ASSAY PROCEDURE:

1. Pipet 2 mL of hydrogen peroxide into a suitable flask containing 20 mL of distilled

water.
2. From a buret add 20 mL of 2 N sulfuric acid.
3. Titrate with 0.1 N potassium permanganate until a permanent pink color is
produced.

Titer value: Each ml of 0.1 N KMnO4 is equivalent to 1.701 mg of H2O2.

REACTIONS:

1
 DATA:
TRIAL 1 TRIAL 2
Volume of hydrogen peroxide solution = __________ __________
Volume of 0.1 N KMnO4 used = __________ __________
Actual normality = __________ __________
Normality factor = __________ __________

CALCULATIONS:

% H2O2 w/v = Volume of KMnO4 x N x meq. wt. (H2O2/2000) x 100

Volume of sample

Using the titer:

% H2O2 w/v = Volume of KMnO4 x N x NF x titer x 100

Volume of sample x 1000

QUESTIONS:

1. What is the use of diluted sulfuric acid in the assay process of hydrogen peroxide?

2. What are two properties or characteristics of hydrogen peroxide topical solution?

3. Write the chemical reaction involved in the assay.

4. What is the reason for conducting titration for hydrogen peroxide in acid solution?

5. A two (2 ml) sample of hydrogen peroxide solution required 8.5 ml of

permanganate solution in titration. If each ml of the permanganate solution is
equivalent to 0.007294 g of Fe, What %w/v of H2O2 was contained in the sample?

6. In preparing potassium permanganate solution, why is it boiled for 15 minutes and

then stored for 2 days?

reactants: products:
hydrogen peroxide oxygen gas
potassium permanganate manganese (II) sulfate
sulfuric acid water
potassium sulfate