The Changing Role of Hydrogen Peroxide in Disinfection
Many people believe hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is most often or commonly used as a disinfectant.
But that simply isn't the case.
Looking at peroxide use in industry, the highest volume users are textile, paper and pulp producers.
And, while peroxide is used as an algaecide and decontaminant in applications from water gardens to commercial aquariums and aqua culture farms, it has not been a major player in medical, disaster or other disinfection applications for many decades.
Happily, all of that is beginning to change as this non toxic, environmentally friendly and non polluting chemical compound begins to provide new answers for difficult questions.
Medical equipment sterilizing has been done using toxic gases or high heat for many years.
The problems with these methods include exposure to carcinogenic compounds and gases, inability to sterilize sensitive equipment, heat damage, and more.
In the 1990's a new medical equipment sterilizing system was introduced by a California company using H2O2 as the sterilizing agent.
Additionally, new research (circa 2004 and since) has proved the efficacy of using hydrogen peroxide in dental sterilizing procedures.
While your dentist may use hydrogen peroxide to bleach your teeth, chances are, he or she is not using it to clean their equipment, yet...
But that too is beginning to change as more dentists and health professionals seek ways to avoid toxicity and over exposure to strong disinfectants which do not break down easily in the environment or in human beings.
The really exciting news about the latest research with hydrogen peroxide disinfection comes not from the medical community, but from the front lines of environmental disaster response in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
New research has now proven that H2O2 in combination with copper and certain resins can effectively eliminate contaminants from flood water samples taken from New Orleans in the months after Katrina struck.
This research, sponsored by the National Science Foundation has opened a new avenue of discovery and exploration using hydrogen peroxide and various catalysts which "super charge" the oxidizing properties of hydrogen peroxide without producing toxic side effects.
It is the reactive nature of hydrogen peroxide in relationship with certain metals which makes this all possible.
So, as it turns out, the "problem" of H2O2 reaction to specific metals in water or in the environment, has proven to be a solution for the decontamination of flood waters after major disasters.
This new application, while still in its early testing and application stages could lead the way to whole new areas of application for hydrogen peroxide as the oxidizing properties and reactive nature of H2O2 are put to work specifically within controlled conditions to effect specific outcomes.
But that simply isn't the case.
Looking at peroxide use in industry, the highest volume users are textile, paper and pulp producers.
And, while peroxide is used as an algaecide and decontaminant in applications from water gardens to commercial aquariums and aqua culture farms, it has not been a major player in medical, disaster or other disinfection applications for many decades.
Happily, all of that is beginning to change as this non toxic, environmentally friendly and non polluting chemical compound begins to provide new answers for difficult questions.
Medical equipment sterilizing has been done using toxic gases or high heat for many years.
The problems with these methods include exposure to carcinogenic compounds and gases, inability to sterilize sensitive equipment, heat damage, and more.
In the 1990's a new medical equipment sterilizing system was introduced by a California company using H2O2 as the sterilizing agent.
Additionally, new research (circa 2004 and since) has proved the efficacy of using hydrogen peroxide in dental sterilizing procedures.
While your dentist may use hydrogen peroxide to bleach your teeth, chances are, he or she is not using it to clean their equipment, yet...
But that too is beginning to change as more dentists and health professionals seek ways to avoid toxicity and over exposure to strong disinfectants which do not break down easily in the environment or in human beings.
The really exciting news about the latest research with hydrogen peroxide disinfection comes not from the medical community, but from the front lines of environmental disaster response in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
New research has now proven that H2O2 in combination with copper and certain resins can effectively eliminate contaminants from flood water samples taken from New Orleans in the months after Katrina struck.
This research, sponsored by the National Science Foundation has opened a new avenue of discovery and exploration using hydrogen peroxide and various catalysts which "super charge" the oxidizing properties of hydrogen peroxide without producing toxic side effects.
It is the reactive nature of hydrogen peroxide in relationship with certain metals which makes this all possible.
So, as it turns out, the "problem" of H2O2 reaction to specific metals in water or in the environment, has proven to be a solution for the decontamination of flood waters after major disasters.
This new application, while still in its early testing and application stages could lead the way to whole new areas of application for hydrogen peroxide as the oxidizing properties and reactive nature of H2O2 are put to work specifically within controlled conditions to effect specific outcomes.
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