Potassium permanganate?

[DavidCampen]

Originally Posted by goodgollymissmolly

This an aggressive oxidizing agent, not to mention vicious purple stain. Y'all amateur chemists are asking for trouble. Be darn sure you don't get it around a chlorine bleach or anything that is easily oxidized because it can be explosive. It makes no sense to user this material when safer alternatives exist.

Ah, goodgollymissmolly seems to be a chemophobe. I agree, she should stay away from potassium permanganate, it is much too dangerous for her. People with a bit more skill should be able to take adequate precautions.

I am not sure what she thinks the reaction with hypochlorite (chlorine bleach) would be but she should also definitely remove any chlorine bleach and household ammonia from her house as either of these alone are quite dangerous and combined they generate some very toxic gases. Also, the solid calcium hypochlorite tablets that homeowners use to chlorinate swimming pools can easily cause fires in contact with combustable materials.

Adding hydrochloric acid (not chlorine bleach) to permanganate crystals would generate chlorine gas but more amusing is to add permanganate crystals to chilled concentrated sulfuric acid - the permanganate purple will change to the pretty green of manganese heptoxide just before the manganese heptoxide falls to the bottom of the flask and explodes.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I've used potassium permanganate many times without issues.

Of course, I'm careful not to get the crystals on me and I make sure there are no other chemicals nearby to react with it while I'm using it.

While it does stain, the stains to the bathtub and/or your skin, (should you get some on them), are not permanent, they can be removed quite easily. If they get on your clothes, that's not so good...

It is inexpensive to acquire, effective, and cost-effective. A tiny bit of potassium permanganate goes a very long way. I can use a pinch of potassium permanganate crystals to make a 5 gallon bucket of the solution as a dip.

Compare this with the costly copper sulfate and Phyton 28 or what not. Phyton 28 didn't even produce nearly as good a result as the potassium permanganate did.

[goodgollymissmolly]

"Ah, goodgollymissmolly seems to be a chemophobe.."

Ha Ha! yep she's a chemophobe wise guy. That's why she's a chemical engineer with 40 years R &D experience with two major corporations. Quite successful years I might add.

[DavidCampen]

Originally Posted by goodgollymissmolly

"Ah, goodgollymissmolly seems to be a chemophobe.."

Ha Ha! yep she's a chemophobe wise guy. That's why she's a chemical engineer with 40 years R &D experience with two major corporations. Quite successful years I might add.

So, that means that you probably know less about chemistry than me. So tell me, what is this dangerous reaction between permanganate and hypochlorite that you were so breathlessly warning us about?