Answer to Question #127791 in Inorganic Chemistry for Sara Khan

Question

Can anyone please give me the methodology for identification of HOCl? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Hypochlorous acid$(HOCl)$ is a powerful deprotenizer and oxidizer. It is produced by neutrophils.

It reacts with many biological molecules like thiol, heme, proteins, amino groups and proteins.

Synthesis of HOCl is through the following methods;

Hydrolysis of chlorine gas.

$Cl_2+H_2O\to HOCl+ H^++Cl^-$ Electrolysis of salt solution

$2Cl^-+2e^-\to Cl_2$

Acidification of hypochlorite

$OCl^-+H^+\to HOCl$

Hydrogen ion concentration(pH) determines the proportion of HOCl and hypochlorite ion $(OCl^-)$ as its pH ranges between pH $3$ to pH $6$

At high pH, $OCl^-$ is found, while at a lower pH, the solution exists as a mixture of chlorine $Cl_2$ and $HOCl$ in solution form.

Analytical methods to determine HOCl include;

• Electrochemistry
• Spectroscopy
• Thermochemical and titrimetric methods