Periodic acid is used as a component for glycoprotein stains. It serves as a pharmaceutical and synthetic intermediate and is used in silk screen printing. It acts as an oxidizing agent especially the cleavage of 1,2 diols to prepare dialdehydes. It has selective oxidation powers which makes it an ideal reagent for the reclamation of silk screens in the printing industry. It finds application in life sciences for the analysis of intracellular polysaccharides like glycogen, starch and cellulose. Furthermore, it is used in the oxidation reactions converting sulfides into sulfones, catalyzed by chromium(VI) oxide and oxidation reactions converting alcohols to aldehydes and ketones.

This Thermo Scientific Chemicals brand product was originally part of the Alfa Aesar product portfolio. Some documentation and label information may refer to the legacy brand. The original Alfa Aesar product / item code or SKU reference has not changed as a part of the brand transition to Thermo Scientific Chemicals.