Alkaline permanganate and hydrogen sulfite
In the HSO3- ion, sulfur is in the +4 oxidation state. Sodium hydrogen sulfite is a white solid which dissolves in water to form a colourless solution.
Sodium hydroxide solution is added to make the solution alkaline.
Purple potassium permanganate solution is added. The purple solution turns green.
MnO4- + e- → MnO42-
The alkaline solution is acidified by adding hydrochloric acid. The green solution turns brown, then orange, and finally colourless as the excess HSO3- further reduces the green MnO42- to brown MnO2 and then colourless Mn2+.
Finally we add barium chloride solution, which reacts to form a white precipitate. This confirms that the HSO3- has been oxidised to SO42-. The solution had to be acidified first, because Ba(OH)2 is only slightly soluble.
MnO4- + e- → MnO42- purple green HSO3- + H2O → SO42- + 3H+ + 2e- 2MnO4- + HSO3- + H2O → 2MnO42- + SO42- + 3H+