The primary objective of this study was an evaluation of the reaction of potassium permanganate with the various chemical groups such as aldehydes, ketones, and acids that might be present in natural waters as undegraded pollutants or as intermediate products of partial degradation. Fourteen compounds were found to react positively under one or both of the pH conditions studied. Those compounds which reacted positively in the screening study were further investigated, and the results of this investigation are presented in this article.