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Topic: Piranha Solution  (Read 5688 times)

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Offline MangoPlant

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Piranha Solution
« on: January 24, 2015, 06:35:12 PM »
Hi all, "Piranha Solution" is a solution of 3:1 solution of sulfuric acid to 30% hydrogen peroxide. It is often used to clean glassware and remove organic contaminants from samples. I know the hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidizing agent (which I assume it oxidizes the organic contaminants from glassware), but what does the sulfuric acid do?

Offline Irlanur

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Re: Piranha Solution
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2015, 06:59:50 PM »

Offline billnotgatez

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Re: Piranha Solution
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2015, 03:18:57 PM »
This is another link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piranha_solution
Piranha solution

Offline MangoPlant

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Re: Piranha Solution
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2015, 12:50:31 AM »
So do you think that using Piranha solution would be a good source of oxygen radicals? I have a solid sample that I would like to expose to oxygen radicals and am thinking of ways I could generate oxygen radicals besides using UV/Ozone. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Offline Borek

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Re: Piranha Solution
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2015, 03:24:54 AM »
Adding Piranha solution to an organic sample is a disaster waiting to happen.
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Offline curiouscat

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Re: Piranha Solution
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2015, 03:31:28 AM »
Adding Piranha solution to an organic sample is a disaster waiting to happen.

I'm not sure if there will be any "wait".  ;D

Offline thelastone

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Re: Piranha Solution
« Reply #6 on: March 30, 2015, 12:57:34 PM »
Hi all, "Piranha Solution" is a solution of 3:1 solution of sulfuric acid to 30% hydrogen peroxide. It is often used to clean glassware and remove organic contaminants from samples. I know the hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidizing agent (which I assume it oxidizes the organic contaminants from glassware), but what does the sulfuric acid do?

Sulfuric acid is a booster of hydrogen peroxide, allowing it to dissolve elemental carbon.

To give an example of how it empowers the reaction and a practical use, I used to analyze copper solutions which had a strong blue colorant: the piranha solution destroyed all the colorant allowing me to analyze iodometrically the copper.

Without the peroxide I wouldn't be able to see the colour changes in the process.

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