Permanganates

Permanganates

Potassium Permanganate is know by its Empirical Formula KMnO4. It is a salt in which Manganese is in the +7 Oxidation State. Potassium permanganate is made up of 1 manganese atom surrounded by 4 oxygen atoms. The salt is also known as "permanganate of potash." The permanganate ion is a strong oxidizing agent. It dissolves in water to give deep purple solutions, evaporation of which gives prismatic purplish-black glistening crystals. It has a sweet flavor. As an oxidizing agent it has the ability to add oxygen, remove hydrogen or remove electrons from an element or compound, that is it is able to chemically "burn up" organic material. This includes undesirable organic matter such as bacteria, parasites, and fungus etc.