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Potassium and Sodium Permanganate
Permanganate is an
oxidizing agent with an affinity for oxidizing organic compounds containing
carbon-carbon double bonds, aldehyde groups or hydroxyl groups. The
permanganate ion is strongly attracted to the electrons in carbon-carbon double
bonds, such as those found in chlorinated alkenes. Under normal subsurface pH
and temperature conditions, the carbon-carbon double bond of alkenes is broken
and the unstable intermediates are converted to carbon dioxide through either
hydrolysis or further oxidation by the permanganate ion. Permanganate can also
be used to treat organic compounds that contain hydroxyl functional groups such
as primary and secondary alcohols, as well as some organic acids such as phenol.
These oxidation reactions occur best at higher pH values where hydrogen
abstraction creates a negative charge on the oxygen atom.
Manganese dioxide (MnO2) is a natural mineral
already found in the soils in many parts of the country. If the precipitation
of manganese dioxide in the soils is excessive, it can reduce the permeability
of the soil, thus limiting injection of the aqueous oxidant. Bench-scale and
Soil
Oxidant Demand testing by Oxidation Systems can identify
potential problems with in-situ chemical oxidation and allow
design modifications to be made before field-scale implementation
occurs.
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