pereduksi

pereduksi is a chemical term used in Indonesian to denote a reducing agent, a substance that donates electrons to another species in a redox reaction. The species that gains electrons is reduced, while the reducing agent is oxidized. The word derives from reduksi (reduction) with the Indonesian prefix pe- used to form agent nouns.

In practice, reducing agents are chosen based on their ability to donate electrons under the reaction conditions. The strength of a reducer is related to its standard reduction potential; more negative potentials indicate a greater tendency to be oxidized and to reduce other species.

In metallurgy and inorganic chemistry, reducers are used to extract metals from oxides. For example, in a blast furnace, carbon monoxide reduces iron oxide to iron: Fe2O3 + 3 CO → 2 Fe + 3 CO2. Coke or carbon commonly serves as the reducing agent. Reducing agents are also employed in chemical syntheses, such as hydrogenation reactions where hydrogen acts as a reducing agent.

Outside pure chemistry, reductions are important in environmental and biological contexts. In environmental science, reductants such as zero-valent iron drive reductive dechlorination of chlorinated solvents. In biology, NADH and FADH2 act as natural reducing agents, donating electrons in metabolic pathways and cellular respiration.

See also redox, oxidation, reduction, oxidizing agent.