Hydrogen Peroxide?

Brinnswift · Apr 11, 2006

I redid my loop the other day, and I didn't have any iodine to put in my loop (I have bad algae problems) So I put in my HydrX solution like always, and I put a couple drops of Hydrogen Peroxide, is this an ok substitute? Is it corrosive in any way? Thanks in advance.

otogrim · Apr 11, 2006

Not a good substitute, it's a bit corrosive to copper. I suggest draining your loop and go with iodine.

Daddyjaxx · Apr 11, 2006

Uh...hydrogen peroxides's formula is H2O2. It's in a brown bottle for a reason. When it hits light, guess what it turns into? Water. So, it may start out as peroxide, but it will quickly turn to water when exposed to light.

Brinnswift · Apr 11, 2006

Daddyjaxx said:
Uh...hydrogen peroxides's formula is H2O2. It's in a brown bottle for a reason. When it hits light, guess what it turns into? Water. So, it may start out as peroxide, but it will quickly turn to water when exposed to light.

WELL, I feel a bit silly now, but thanks for the info! I'll drain it and get some iodine asap.

Daddyjaxx · Apr 11, 2006

I wouldn't drain it. Just add the iodine. The peroxide will change to plain H2O and you only used a few drops anyway. It's not like you are running pure peroxide.

twoeyes · Apr 11, 2006

Hey where did you guys learn that it turns into water when it comes into contact with LIGHT? I remember from chemistry it turns into water when it comes into contact with the catalase in your blood (hence the foaming action) and releases O2 (H2O2 + catalase -> H2O + O2). I cant find any verification of the light claim anywhere.... also that would make it pretty useless as a sterelizer...

-aDaM^ · Apr 11, 2006

twoeyes said:
Hey where did you guys learn that it turns into water when it comes into contact with LIGHT? I remember from chemistry it turns into water when it comes into contact with the catalase in your blood (hence the foaming action) and releases O2 (H2O2 + catalase -> H2O + O2). I cant find any verification of the light claim anywhere.... also that would make it pretty useless as a sterelizer...

agreed

iceage · Apr 11, 2006

Actually, H2O2 will typically split into free radical OH monomers. pH can have an effect on how peroxides react with other materials, but all in all peroxides are a bad idea to have in contact with any metal. Light is an initiator, it provides the energy to break the O-O bond. The free radical OH then reacts with whatever it can find. Lab grade hydrogen peroxide comes in a translucent bottle but you're expected to keep it in a dark refrigerator. Dark=no light=no activation energy. And cold=less energy in the overall system=less O-O bond breaking.

At the concentration you described, which sounded like 1:1000, the effect should be minimal. I wouldn't suggest doing it again or trying it at higher concentrations.

I never took advanced biochemistry, so my perspective is that of a synthetic chemist.

Daddyjaxx · Apr 11, 2006

See... I know light and peroxide do not interact well.

I want someone to show me one drug store type 3% peroxide solution NOT in a brown bottle,

.

Mr. $T$ · Apr 11, 2006

twoeyes said:
Hey where did you guys learn that it turns into water when it comes into contact with LIGHT? I remember from chemistry it turns into water when it comes into contact with the catalase in your blood (hence the foaming action) and releases O2 (H2O2 + catalase -> H2O + O2). I cant find any verification of the light claim anywhere.... also that would make it pretty useless as a sterelizer...

The catalase aids the process, it will naturally separate with time though.

-aDaM^ · Apr 11, 2006

Soo many different responses, I would just not use hydrogen peroxide :bang head

Oper8or · Apr 11, 2006

-aDaM^ said:
Soo many different responses, I would just not use hydrogen peroxide

X2. All I can say is there are people way smarter then me here and I will heed thier advice!

Mr. $T$ · Apr 11, 2006

Oper8or said:
X2. All I can say is there are people way smarter then me here and I will heed thier advice!

Basically Hydrogen Peroxide is H2O2, think of it as a water molecule with an extra oxygen atom. When Light contacts H2O2 it breaks the chemical bond and frees a oxygen atom. The extra oxygen atom becomes a radical. Because oxygen's nature is to either bond with itself or something else it tends to break down metals to get the extra atom to become stable, kind of like an acid.

schnikies79 · Apr 12, 2006

Hydrogen peroxide will also go bad just sitting on the shelf, after it's been opened that is.

H2O2 is not a stable molecule.

Skeith · Apr 12, 2006

Daddyjaxx said:
See... I know light and peroxide do not interact well. I want someone to show me one drug store type 3% peroxide solution NOT in a brown bottle, .

I can buy it in a white bottle at a store 10 min from my house

kimochii72 · Apr 12, 2006

H202 is an oxidizer not meant to mix with metal unless your trying to oxidize those metals. Your peroxide you put in their also contains a stabilizing agent in it too.

I've wondered if the antibacterial found in Fantastic or restaurant santizing liquids (di-ethyl/benzylamonium chlorides or maybe it was n-alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride ??) could be safe in the loop.

I'm sure you did a nice very light cleaning of your loop using that.

-aDaM^ · Apr 12, 2006

Oper8or said:
X2. All I can say is there are people way smarter then me here and I will heed thier advice!

I know.... There like peroxde is e=mc2 x 66trillion

batboy · Apr 12, 2006

kimochii72 said:
H202 is an oxidizer not meant to mix with metal unless your trying to oxidize those metals.

We have a winner. Peroxide is definitely an oxidizer and for that reason alone I would not use it in my loop. Peroxide is also unstable and will break down in a fairly short amount of time.

twoeyes · Apr 12, 2006

Err nobody has said its not an oxidizer, thats more then obvious I was just wondering if light alone would actually cause the oxygen atom to come unbonded... I've yet to find any resource that states this.

citronym · Apr 12, 2006

Well I dunno how hard you looked twoeyes but I flipped over to wikipedia and found this in the Hydrogen Peroxide entry:
"Household hydrogen peroxide solutions are commonly found in concentrations of 3% solution. Because hydrogen peroxide decomposes in the presence of light, it should be stored in a cool environment out of direct sunlight. It should also be stored out of reach of children in a well-marked bottle, as ingestion of large amounts can cause gastrointestinal problems including burns, pain and vomiting. Hydrogen peroxide decomposes naturally into oxygen and water. This property means that caution must be taken when opening a bottle that has been stored for a long period of time. Be sure not to open an old bottle near a flame or spark."

Hope that helps clear it up for you.

Hydrogen Peroxide?

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