Question
Question: What is perhydrol?...
What is perhydrol?
Solution
Perhydrol is a brand name for hydrogen peroxide, which is used as an antiseptic. The chemical compound hydrogen peroxide has the formula H2O2 . It's a very pale blue liquid that's slightly more viscous than water in its purest form.
Complete answer:
The simplest peroxide is hydrogen peroxide, which is a compound with a single oxygen-oxygen bond. In the presence of light, it slowly decomposes. Hydrogen peroxide is typically held in a dark-colored container with a stabilizer in a weakly acidic solution.
Perhydrol is a 30 percent H2O2 solution that is used as an antiseptic and disinfectant for washing wounds, teeth, and ears. That is, we can say that it's a hydrogen peroxide solution that's been stabilized.
Perhydrol is a potent oxidizing agent that is used in aqueous solutions as a ripening agent, bleach, and topical anti-infective. It is extremely unstable, and solutions deteriorate until it is stabilized by the addition of acetanilide or associated organic materials.
Additional Information:
Hydrogen peroxide, whether pure or diluted, poses a number of dangers, the most serious of which is the formation of explosive mixtures when it comes into contact with organic compounds. At normal pressures, distilling hydrogen peroxide is extremely dangerous. It's corrosive as well, particularly when concentrated, but even household-strength solutions can irritate the eyes, mucous membranes, and skin.
Note:
The development of a commercially viable method for extracting hydrogen peroxide directly from the atmosphere has piqued interest for several years. Direct synthesis is difficult to accomplish because the reaction of hydrogen with oxygen favors the creation of water thermodynamically.