Uses of Oxalic Acid

• Standardizing solutions:

Due to its well-defined composition, oxalic acid acts as a primary standard in chemistry. This means chemists can precisely determine its purity. This characteristic makes it ideal for standardizing solutions of potassium permanganate, a frequently used oxidizing agent in titrations 

• Metal ion analysis:

Oxalic acid reacts with various metal ions to form precipitates. These precipitates are insoluble in water, allowing scientists to separate and analyze the specific metals present in a sample through a technique called gravimetric analysis 

• Cleaning and bleaching:

Oxalic acid’s mild bleaching properties make it useful for removing rust stains from equipment or surfaces. It can also be used for cleaning certain minerals 

• Lanthanide chemistry:

Oxalic acid plays a vital role as a reagent in the field of lanthanide chemistry, which deals with the study and manipulation of rare earth elements 

• Niche applications:

Dilute oxalic acid solutions can be used to remove iron from clays, allowing for the production of lighter-colored ceramics . It can also be used for cleaning specific minerals like quartz crystals and pyrite [3].