Hydrogen peroxide has chemical formula H2O2. This chemical compound is weak acid solution that has light blue color. Hydrogen peroxide solution is usually sold with concentration from 3% to 10%. Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound that is commonly used as one of the compositions of many chemicals that are commonly used in household and industries.
Hydrogen peroxide has several properties such as antibacterial properties and anti-fungal properties. This chemical compound is also used in many products as well from cosmetic products to cleaning agents. Hydrogen peroxide also can be used for fighting infection and whitening teeth as well. This chemical compound is also secreted in human’s body and it’s being used for fighting infection. Without hydrogen peroxide, the immune system of the body will not work properly. Doctors might also use hydrogen peroxide to treat various health problems such as ulcers, fungal diseases, and even for therapies against cancer.
Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound that is a combination between hydrogen and oxygen. In high concentration, this chemical compound can be unstable and even toxic. In lower concentration, such as the one that can be found in household products, this chemical compound is usually used as disinfectant and antiseptic. In large amount, hydrogen peroxide is used for making sodium perborate and sodium percarbonate.
Both of these chemical compounds are used for bleaching agent in liquid and solid detergent. Sodium perborate is made by adding hydrogen peroxide into sodium metaborate and sodium solution. Sodium percarbonate is made by adding hydrogen peroxide into sodium carbonate solution.
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Hydrogen Peroxide Formula Compound
More than 90% of hydrogen peroxide is produced through autoxidation process. The steps in the process of making hydrogen peroxide are:
- Hydrogenation from Anthraquinone
The derivative of 2-ethyl from anthraquinone is commonly used in this process. A solution of 2-ethylanthraquinone in mixed solvent system that contains non-polar hydrocarbon and polar solvent and suspension from nickel or palladium-based catalyst in solid state are hydrogenised using hydrogen gas in temperature 320oK. The reduction from 2-alkylanthraquinol will occur. The catalyst is removed by using filtration and recycling.
- Anthraquinol Oxidation
Solution of 2-ethylanthraquinol then will be oxidized by air and became hydroperoxide which will react in water to form 2-ethylanthraquinone and create weak solution of hydrogen peroxide.
- The extraction of hydrogen peroxide solution
Water is added to extract peroxide as water solution that contains 40% of hydrogen peroxide. The coat of organic solvent is recycled to hydrogenation unit for further reaction.
- Purification and concentrating of hydrogen peroxide
This hydrogen peroxide solution that contains water is treated using organic solvent and air pumping to remove the quinone residue and solvent so that will be produced standard product with 40% concentrations. In some uses of hydrogen peroxide, product with higher concentration than the standard one is needed so that the distillation or vacuum concentrating is needed in order to increase the concentration up to 70%.
Hydrogen peroxide in the most pure form is stable. However, if it has contact with certain contaminants, especially heavy metal, this chemical compound will be disintegrated. Therefore, stabilizer is usually added to the product. Stabilizer acts as complexing agent with ion footprint of transition metal that will not catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. The common stabilizers that are used are various types of phosphate and sodium stannate (IV) that can hydrolyze lead (IV) hydroxide.
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Below are several uses of hydrogen peroxide.
- Clothes Bleaching
Archeologists use hydrogen peroxide to clean and whiten the bones that they found. Even though you don’t need this chemical compound to clean or whiten bones, you can use hydrogen peroxide for whitening your clothes. To use hydrogen peroxide as whitening agent for clothes, you can spill hydrogen peroxide directly to your washing machine. This chemical compound will work instantly and clean your clothes. Hydrogen peroxide is also effective for cleaning blood stains that are still fresh from your clothes. However, when you use hydrogen peroxide as whitening agent for clothes, make sure you use the right amount to prevent any unwanted damages to your clothes.
- Makes Plants Look Greener
Do you have decorative plants in your home? Decorative plants are known for their green leaves that can make your house looks more comfortable and pleasant. If you want to make your decorative plants grow greener and look healthier, you can use hydrogen peroxide. To use this chemical compound for your decorative plant, you can mix one tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide with one cup of water and spray this solution to your decorative plants. You can use sprayer that can be found easily on the market to perform this action. Hydrogen peroxide will act as oxygen supplement for your decorative plants and might help prevent fungi growth on the soil since this chemical compound has anti-fungal properties.
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- Hydrogen Peroxide as Germicide
Did you know that your kitchen is one of the places in your house that might contain many germs and bacteria? Your kitchen and various kitchen appliances are perfect spots for germs and various bacteria. You can make your kitchen and kitchen appliances germ-free by using hydrogen peroxide. When you mix hydrogen peroxide with water, the solution will become a strong germicide. You can spill this solution to the surface of your kitchen floor or kitchen sink to clean these surfaces from germ.
You also can spray this solution to the surface of your kitchen counters as well to make them cleaner. This solution also can be used for cleaning various kitchen appliances as well. However, when you use this solution on your kitchen appliances, make sure that you rinse the appliances after the application to clean the residue. Hydrogen peroxide solution also can be used as germicide for bathroom appliances and door handles as well. Thus, that’s one of the hydrogen peroxide uses.
- Treatment for Acne
The use of hydrogen peroxide is to treat acne. Acne is one of the most common skin issues that can be found these days. Acne might appear during puberty and when you are stressed. The main cause of acne is inflammation that is caused by bacteria. There are various acne treatment products that you can find on the market these days. But did you know that you also can use hydrogen peroxide to treat acne?
Hydrogen peroxide is effective to clean your face and prevent acne due to its antibacterial properties. To use hydrogen peroxide for treating acne, you can wet cotton with hydrogen peroxide solution and apply the cotton to your face a few times a day. With regular treatment, the acne on your face might be reduced in more effective way. Some of the acne treatment products that you can find on the market these days might also use hydrogen peroxide as one of their ingredients as well.
- Hydrogen Peroxide as Fungicide
Besides bacteria, other common thing that might cause various health issues is fungi. Fungi might grow on your feet or nails and might cause health problems. Toenail fungus and skin fungal infection are two of the most common health issues that are caused by fungi. If fungi grow on your feet or nails, there are several ways that you can do to get rid of them. These days you can find many anti-fungal ointments that are sold on the store. You also can treat fungi problems on your feet or nails using hydrogen peroxide as well. To do this, mix hydrogen peroxide with water in equal ratio. After that, you can soak your feet or nails into this solution for a few minutes. Do this treatment regularly two times a day for at least a week. This method will help kills the fungi that grow on your feet or nails in more effective way.
- Clean your Wounds Using Hydrogen Peroxide
When you have wounds, you need to make sure that your wounds are clean to prevent infection that is caused by bacteria. Hydrogen peroxide is used in many hospitals or health clinics to clean the wound before further treatment is applied to the wound. Hydrogen peroxide can be used to clean the wound or clean the dead tissues that are caused by wound.
To do this, you can wet the cotton using hydrogen peroxide and apply the cotton to your wound. Wounds that are cleaned using hydrogen peroxide will be more resistant to infection that is caused by bacterial. Hydrogen peroxide not only can clean your wounds but it also can slow down the bleeding as well. However, if you use hydrogen peroxide to clean the wounds, make sure that you don’t leave too much hydrogen peroxide for too long on open wounds since it might cause mild tissue damage on open wounds. Make sure you use this chemical solution carefully when treating your wounds using it.
- Use Hydrogen Peroxide for Detoxification
Hydrogen peroxide also can be used for detoxification as well. When you take a shower and you want to perform detoxification, you can use about 2 liters of hydrogen peroxide with 3% concentration that is added to your bathtub. After that, you can fill your bathtub with warm water. Immerse yourself into the bathtub for at least a half of hour. You can also add more warm water to keep the temperature of the water in the bathtub so that you can bathe in more comfortable way.
- Hydrogen Peroxide for Treating Infection
Other health issue that can be treated using hydrogen peroxide is infection. Infection can occur to any parts of your body. Infection is commonly caused by bacteria or virus. Infection also commonly occurs to wounds that are infected by bacteria or virus. To treat infection, you can soak the part of your body that is infected or wounded into hydrogen peroxide solution with 3% concentrations. You can soak the infected part for about ten minutes. Repeat this treatment a few times a day.
Gangrene is also can be treated with hydrogen peroxide as well. If you have gangrene and you have been treated it suing various medicine but it still exists, you can use hydrogen peroxide to treat the gangrene. Just soak the part of your body where the gangrene occurs into the hydrogen peroxide solutions for five to ten minutes. You can spill a half of bottle of hydrogen peroxide into your bathtub and add some warm water. Immerse yourself into this solution for treating fungal infection, skin infection, or even ulcers.
- Treatment for Mite Infection and Sinus Infection
Mite infection also can be treated using hydrogen peroxide. Patients who are infected by small mite reported that hydrogen peroxide is effective in killing the mites that live on their skin. If you want to use hydrogen peroxide as treatment for mite infection, you can spray hydrogen peroxide solution to your skin for few times (several minutes interval between sprays) to get excellent result. Other type of infection that can be treated using hydrogen peroxide is sinus infection.
Sinus infection is considered as one of the most common health issues that might occur these days. This type of infection can be caused by many factors such as allergies, bad immune system, and even bacteria or virus. To treat sinus infection using hydrogen peroxide, you can add a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide with 3% concentrations to one cup of non-dichlorination water and use the solution as nasal spray. The treatment that is given will depend on the severity of the sinus infection that occurs.
- Hydrogen Peroxide for Teeth Treatment
These days you might find so many products that can be used for teeth treatment on the supermarket. However, you also can use hydrogen peroxide as mouthwash or for treating various teeth issues. If you want to use hydrogen peroxide as treatment for teeth issues, you can put one small cup of hydrogen peroxide into your mouth. Keep the solution inside your mouth for about ten minutes and do this treatment every day. After ten minutes, you can spit the solution. By doing this, you will not get any ulcer on your mouth and your teeth will look whiter. If you have toothache and you don’t have time to visit the dentist, you can put a cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide inside your mouth and keep the solution inside your mouth for about ten minutes for a few times a day. The pain that is caused by toothache will be reduced.
- Clean Your Contact Lens Using Hydrogen Peroxide
If you wear contact lens, it’s very important for you to keep the contact lens clean before you out it on your eyes. Usually, contact lens will be sold separately with its cleaning liquid. If you are run out of the cleaning liquid for your contact lens, you can use hydrogen peroxide as disinfectant for your contact lens. You don’t need to rinse the hydrogen peroxide from your contact lens after you soak your contact lens with this chemical solution due to the ability of hydrogen peroxide to break the protein on the contact lens. Cleaning your contact lens using hydrogen peroxide will allow you to wear the contact lens in more comfortable way, especially if you have sensitive eyes.
- Bleach Your Hair with Hydrogen Peroxide
If you dye your hair, sometimes you might find that the color of your hair looks less natural. That’s why sometimes you need to bleach your hair to make the color of your hair looks more natural and bright. Even though there are so many hair bleaching products that you can find on the market these days, most of them might be not suitable for your hair.
As alternative, you can use hydrogen peroxide as hair bleaching solution. All you need to do is adding 3% hydrogen peroxide to water with equal ratio. After that, spray this solution to your hair while your hair is still wet. Your hair will look more natural, especially if your hair color is light brown. This treatment will also make your hair color looks brighter gradually as well.
- Use Hydrogen Peroxide for Washing Vegetables
When you buy vegetables from the market, you need to wash the vegetables first before you cook them. You can use hydrogen peroxide when wash the vegetables to kill the bacteria and neutralize the chemicals residues that are left on the vegetables. Add a quarter cup of hydrogen peroxide with 3% concentrations to kitchen sink that is filled with cold water. Soak the vegetables into this solution for about 20 to 30 minutes. After that, drain the vegetables and let them dry.
As a result, there are many hydrogen peroxide uses but check out the cautions below.
Cautions When Using Hydrogen Peroxide
There are several things that you need to notice when you use hydrogen peroxide, as follow:
- Don’t drink large amount of hydrogen peroxide even though there is ‘food grade’ label on its bottle.
- You also need to wear gloves when using hydrogen peroxide since this chemical solution can cause irritation to your skin.
- If you accidentally contaminated by hydrogen peroxide on skin in danger, then better wash it by water immediately.
- If there are more rushes, please call your doctor soon.
- Be safe when you play
with chemicals.
Identification and Consideration of Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is also known as H2O2 is a weak acid and also a strong whitening agent. This chemical compound also has very strong oxidation effect as well which makes it very effective as antiseptic and disinfectant. Hydrogen peroxide is a natural side product from metabolism and oxygen. In its pure form, hydrogen peroxide can be used to bleach clothes. When using this chemical compound, you need to make sure that you use it in small amount or you need to dissolve it first using water.
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