The Three Most Essential Uses of Potassium Permanganate

You know the deep purple solution your mom puts on your skin when you had a bad case of athlete’s foot? She did great, didn’t she?

That solution is made by dissolving potassium permanganate crystals in water. Potassium permanganate is an inorganic but water soluble compound. It is also known as Condy crystals and potash permanganate.

This chemical has a strong oxidizing property making it very useful in many applications. However, one of its most popular uses is in medicine, as an antiseptic and fungicide. It has also been used in water treatment by the military to make drinking water. But this practice has been discontinued because it causes stains on the teeth.

Medical uses

Potassium permanganate dissolves in warm water to make a nice pink solution that is then ideal for treating skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, and fungal infections of the hands and feet.

Soaking in potassium permanganate has been shown to be effective for skin conditions, but this is largely unpopular due to the staining and discoloration it leaves on bath materials such as towels and bathtubs. However, this can be addressed by dissolving the correct amount of crystals. A concentration of 1:10,000 will result in a pink color. Using too much and the water turns black and results in a rather nice but fake tan.

A weak solution of potassium permanganate has previously been used as an antiseptic wash for vaginal candidiasis, vulvovaginitis, and persistent urinary tract infection in both children and adults. It has also been applied as a vaginal douche after childbirth long before the use of antibiotics.

Treatment of fish diseases

Potassium permanganate is an effective treatment for various fish diseases and parasites. It is useful in the treatment of bacterial infections of the gills and skin ulcers. Drastically improves water quality by reducing biological oxygen demand as a result of the oxidation of dissolved organic matter in the water.

It is used commercially as an oxidizing agent in fish ponds to react with organic matter including bacteria, algae, organic particles, and sediment. It is very important to calculate the exact amount of chemical needed for the volume of water, as it can cause significant damage or even death to the fish. It can be used as a pest control for parasitic nudibranchs in your aquarium.

However, frequent treatment can harm your fish, so wait a reasonable period before repeating the treatment. Disperse the solution evenly throughout the pond and aerate your pond properly after treatment.

Water treatment

Having a strong oxidizing capacity, potassium permanganate is ideal for use in water treatment. Removes iron and magnesium from water that give water its off-color and off-taste. It is added to water for treatment, especially those from sources deep in the ground. It also reduces rust in pipes and other water equipment.

To prevent cholera and other waterborne diseases, wash fruits and vegetables with a dilute solution of potassium permanganate, as well as kitchen utensils, such as a cutting board.

There are other uses and applications for potassium permanganate mainly due to its excellent oxidizing property. And also as a result of this, proper handling and storage should be practiced. Always wear gloves when handling this chemical as it reacts quickly with skin leaving a dark brown stain.

It is a strong oxidizer, so proper storage is necessary and it should be kept away from other highly oxidizable substances. It must be separated well away from concentrated sulfuric acid because the reaction with these two chemicals can be explosive.