Oxybenzone Oxidation

The oxidation of oxybenzone was attempted with a reaction of oxybenzone, dioxane, and potassium permanganate.

Making the Samples For Chemical Oxidation

2 mM Oxybenzone Buffer Stock Solution

Combined 50 mL of dioxane, 50 mL of pH 7 buffer solution, and 45.7 mg of oxybenzone in a bottle. Added the oxybenzone to the dioxane, and then added the buffer solution.

Potassium Permanganate Stock Solutions

2mM Potassium Permanganate Stock Solution

• Dissolved 0.0316 g of potassium permanganate in 100 mL of RO water.

4mM Potassium Permanganate Stock Solution

• Dissolved 0.0632 g of potassium permanganate in 100 mL of RO water.

10mM Potassium Permanganate Stock Solution

• Dissolved 0.158 g of potassium permanganate in 100 mL of RO water.

20mM Potassium Permanganate Stock Solution

• Dissolved 0.316 g of potassium permanganate in 100 mL of RO water.

Preparing the final samples

Added 5 mL of the oxybenzone buffer stock solution to a scintillation vial. Then added 5 mL of the 1 mM Potassium Permanganate Stock Solution to the same vial that contained the oxybenzone buffer solution. Mixed solution thoroughly. This vial now contained 1 mM oxybenzone solution and 1 mM potassium permanganate solution once dilution was accounted for. This process was repeated with the rest of the potassium permanganate solutions.

g KMnO4	Concentration of Stock Solution KMnO4 (mM)	Concentration of KMnO4 After Dilution (mM)	Concentration of Oxybenzone After Dilution (mM)
0.0316	2	1	1
0.0632	4	2	1
0.158	10	5	1
0.316	20	10	1

Data

Figure 1. Graph of oxybenzone dissolved in methanol.

Figure 2. Graph depicting the decrease in oxybenzone as the concentration of potassium permanganate increases.

Figure 3. Representation of the Oxidation of Oxybenzone and Oxidation Products.