Hydrogen peroxide is one of the popularly used chemical compound with the chemical formula of H2O2. This is the simplest form of peroxide with the single bond of oxygen-oxygen. It’s colorless and having more viscosity than the water. Hydrogen peroxide is not stable and able to decompose with the help of catalyst or base. Its properties are just like the peroxide bond properties which is unstable.
This chemical can be found naturally in the human body and other biological systems. You can learn more about hydrogen peroxide in the Branches of Organic Chemistry. Hydrogen peroxide has many uses in some different applications including bleaching, oxidizer and disinfectant. This article will cover the great hydrogen peroxide applications in some sectors including industrial, medical, cosmetic and domestic.
You may also want to read: Hydrogen Uses – Uses of Hydrogen Peroxide
Decomposition Reaction of Hydrogen Peroxide
As mentioned previously, hydrogen peroxide is unstable compound and it can decompose to create water and oxygen. Here’s the reaction:
2 H2O2 → 2 H2O + O2
This reaction has relation to some conditions such as the temperature, pH and concentration and acidic solution. The catalyst, like manganese dioxide, silver and platinum, will help this decomposition reaction. Hydrogen peroxide can decompose by using enzyme catalyst. This reactions is known as biological decomposition reaction. Since this reaction will release oxygen and heat, it has potential hazard of fire if the high concentrated hydrogen peroxide has contact with flammable substance.
Hydrogen Peroxide Uses
This section will cover hydrogen peroxide applications in many sectors consisting of industrial, medical, cosmetic & body treatment and domestic or home.
Hydrogen peroxide is popular material for the bleaching process in industrial. The pulp & paper is the industry which extensively uses hydrogen peroxide for bleaching. So, here’re some industrial uses of hydrogen peroxide.
1. Laundry Detergent
Beside the pulp & paper industry, hydrogen peroxide is frequently used in the sodium percarbonate and sodium perborate manufacture. These industrial manufacturers use this chemical as the mild bleach for the commercial laundry detergent.
2. Organic Peroxide Production
Industry also uses hydrogen peroxide especially the industrial production of organic peroxide like dibenzoyl peroxide. Some peroxy acids like paeracetic acid and meta chloroperoxybenzoic acid are also made by hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide performs well in polymerization process in this industry.
3. Waste Water Treatment
Hydrogen peroxide is also great option for waster water treatment process in the factory or industrial plant. Hydrogen peroxide can surely remove organic impurities or other chemicals in the water. By using the advanced oxidation process, this method can kill the organic impurities which are hard to remove.
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Nowadays, practitioners actively promote the use of hydrogen peroxide for medicine. It’s said that hydrogen peroxide can be useful to treat some diseases such as influenza, some cancers and AIDS. However, the effectiveness of this chemical as a cure is still debatable. So, here are some examples of hydrogen peroxide uses in medical sector.
1. Hydrogen Peroxide Injection
Naturally, hydrogen peroxide is created by our body to fight against infection. Based on this, the injection of hydrogen peroxide has the goal to cure some diseases. This hydrogen peroxide injection works by imitating the response of our immune system and improving the oxygen level in our body. We know that human pathogens would not survive in the high oxygen level condition, so that the use of hydrogen peroxide can combat the diseases. The concept is actually similar to other oxygen therapies like ozone therapy or hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
2. Oral Dose of Hydrogen Peroxide
Not only injected, people can also consume hydrogen peroxide orally. The intention is just the same like injection method which is to cure the diseases. However, the dose of oral consumption of hydrogen peroxide shall be strictly controlled. Medical researches show that the 3% concentration of hydrogen peroxide consumption can lead to irritation problems, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting.
3. Disinfectant
Beside its use for medicine, medical practitioners also use hydrogen peroxide as disinfectant for many medical tools. They use hydrogen peroxide for sterilization process of surgical tools and hospital room. We know previously that hydrogen peroxide can kill the bacteria, viruse, yeast which can lead to the spread of diseases. Hydrogen peroxide is safe to use and has been acknowledged by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Yeah, this chemical is also beneficial for cosmetic related products. You can use hydrogen peroxide for some beauty and body treatments. As hydrogen peroxide is free of toxic, so the it differs from other chemicals in cosmetic. So, here’re some popular examples of hydrogen peroxide uses in cosmetic and body treatment.
1. Hair Coloring
You can use hydrogen peroxide to add highlight to your hair. To do this, you firstly need to mix 50% of hydrogen peroxide with the 50% of water. Then, you just need to spray this solution to wet hair. This will create such a natural highlight to your hair. You can also add ammonium hydroxide to hydrogen peroxide for bleaching your hair.
2. Toothpaste and Teeth Whitening
You can create the toothpaste can by mixing the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. This paste will kill the bacteria. Practitioners recommend this method to be used by the gingivitis patient. You can also add salt into baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to use this toothpaste as the whitening paste for your teeth.
3. Skin saver and Cure Acne
Hydrogen peroxide is also useful to treat the acne issues. You just need to apply the hydrogen peroxide to your pimples and it will surely make your skin clear.
Hydrogen peroxide is really useful for many domestic uses including home and many appliances cleaner. So, here’re some examples of hydrogen peroxide uses for you house.
1. Fruit & Vegetable Wash
Simply, you can use hydrogen peroxide to wash your veggies and fruits. It can clear the pesticides and dirt in your foods. To apply this compound, you just need to mix 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide with the cold water. Then you just have to wash your fruits and veggies and rinse them with the cool water
2. Home Cleaner
Hydrogen peroxide is really useful for domestic application including being a cleaner for home appliances. This chemical can obviously clean the refrigerator and dishwasher in your home. Since hydrogen peroxide contains no toxic, so it’s fully safe for cleaning the food store and dishes. You can also use hydrogen peroxide to clean your kitchen. You can clean your cutting board by using this chemical
3. Mouthwash
Beside being great for toothpaste, hydrogen peroxide is also useful as mouthwash. Its ability to kill the bacteria can surely make your breath more fresh. This can also prevent the halitosis disease. To use this chemical as mouthwash, you can mix hydrogen peroxide and water with the ratio of 1:1
4. Cleaning Sponge
Yes, you can use hydrogen peroxide as the sponge cleaner. To do this, you can soak your sponge in the solution of hydrogen peroxide and warm water for about 10 minutes. Keep in mind that the mix of hydrogen peroxide and water shall be 1:1. Them you just have to rinse the sponge and it should have been clean.
5. Sanitizer for toothbrush
Not only for toothpaste, hydrogen peroxide is also beneficial for toothbrush. You can apply this chemical as the sanitizer for your toothbrush. All you need to do is just soak your toothbrush to the solution of hydrogen peroxide and you’ll have it clean. This also can prevent the germs transfer between the toothbrushes in your home bathroom.
6. Bathroom and Toilet Cleaner
Hydrogen peroxide may become one of the best solution to clean the bathtub and toilet. It can whiten your bathtub grout. To do this, you just need to spray the hydrogen peroxide throughout the bathtub. However, you need to dry your bathtub first. Then wait until it bubbles and you just have to scrub the grout with the help of unused toothbrush. Meanwhile, to clean your toilet bowl, you just have to pour the 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide to your toilet bowl. Then wait for 20 minutes and after that scrub it until clean.
7. Brighten Floor
Hydrogen peroxide can also make your floor brighter. To get this done, you firstly need to mix 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide with 1 gallon of hot water. Then apply this mix throughout your home floor. This chemical is safe for any type of floor so you don’t have to worry about chemical contamination.
8. Remove Stain
If you have issues with stain in your clothes, curtains or any materials, you can get help from this chemical. As a first treatment for stain, you can soak the stain with 3% of hydrogen peroxide. This chemical can also work as the clothes whitener. You can apply 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide to your favorite white clothes and it can improve its brightness. This hydrogen peroxide is the great alternative for the bleach as it’s more environmental friendly than the common bleach. We know that there’re some chemical in bleach. It can also perform as good as the bleach you used to buy.
9. Clean kids’ toys and Lunch Box
If you have kids and so many toys in your home, hydrogen peroxide can help your life. This is the great option for the toys cleaner since it’s toxic free and safe to anyone including children. The containment of hydrogen peroxide will not cause any respiratory issues. By cleaning your kids’ toys, you can prevent them from the bacteria or any causes of serious diseases. Not only for toys, hydrogen peroxide is also perfect to clean your children’s lunch box. It’s safe to be used as the washer for kids’ bags or lunch box.
Meanwhile, hydrogen peroxide is the chemical compound that uses in many field of our life. Through, be careful with chemicals when you use it.
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