Hydrogen peroxide

[YT2095]

Can just about anything cause the Hydrogen Peroxide to decompose?

 

Cheers' date='

 

Ryan Jones[/quote']

 

well quite a few things can for sure, Hydrazine is one of the Better agents used to decompose it

but having said that, there are things it`ll not react at all with, logic alone dictates that if it were to react with everything, we`de not be able to make or store it

[jdurg]

Pretty much anything can cause H2O2 to decompose at the higher concentrations. Mechanical shock or temperature changes can result in the decomposition. The Activation Energy is really small for the reaction 2H2O2 => 2H2O + O2, so not a whole lot is needed to get it going.

[RyanJ]

YT2095: Yea if it were to react with plastic then we'd have problems storing it

 

jdurg: So its shock sensative at high concentrations - thats not good :S

 

I added a piece of liver to low concentrated Hydrogen peroxide once and the whole test tube was filled with Oxygen bubbles in seconds. At high concentrations I'd dare not try it...

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan jones

[YT2095]

it would be reasonable to assume that if you`de used a High conc, the lot would have caught fire and the liver would have flown about the room like a Bottle Rocket! LOL

[jdurg]

Well there's an enzyme in livers that catalyze the decomposition of it, so even in low concentrations it will decompose very quickly. At higher concentrations it would violently decompose in the blink of an eye.

 

Also, even at low concentrations H2O2 isn't stable. That's why there's the pressure release caps on ALL bottles of H2O2. This is so that the decomposition products can escape from the container and not create a physical explosion as opposed to a chemical one.

 

For the really high concentrations, they typically don't even store it. There's a certain limit to how high of a concentration the manufacturers will make. If you need higher, you pretty much have to make it yourself.

[YT2095]

Phosphoric acid is often added to H2O2 in order to prevent decomposition and prolong its "shelf life" too.

[RyanJ]

For the really high concentrations' date=' they typically don't even store it. There's a certain limit to how high of a concentration the manufacturers will make. If you need higher, you pretty much have to make it yourself.[/quote']

 

For obvious reasons - its not stable! You'd have a bit of a problem if someone accidentally hit a huge vat of this stuff.... BOOOOM! And as for making this stuff a higher concentration i think that would be dangerous past a certain point?

 

@YT2095: A Hydrogen Peroxide and liver rocket... it could be the new craze... or maybe not. Low concentration was quite fun too - it works with just about anything.

 

Off topic the enzyme is called catalase and it has one of the fastest turnover rates of any enzyme (Its probably because of the importance of stopping Hydrogen peroxide build-up)!

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[jsatan]

For obvious reasons - its not stable! You'd have a bit of a problem if someone accidentally hit a huge vat of this stuff.... BOOOOM! And as for making this stuff a higher concentration i think that would be dangerous past a certain point?

 

@YT2095: A Hydrogen Peroxide and liver rocket... it could be the new craze... or maybe not. Low concentration was quite fun too - it works with just about anything.

 

Off topic the enzyme is called catalase and it has one of the fastest turnover rates of any enzyme (Its probably because of the importance of stopping Hydrogen peroxide build-up)!

 

Cheers' date='

 

Ryan Jones[/quote']

 

Now that does bring back memories, I too was a bio lover..... grrr

lol.

[YT2095]

I rem that lesson also, grinding the liver up in a mortar/pestle and asking the Boi teacher for some Onions (that we`de used last lesson to examine plant cells with) Liver and Onions, needless to say, my Bio partner was laughing her head off at this as shortly after the guy in a team next to use was throwing up in the sink

 

anyway, to topic, there are ceratin organelles within a cell that Does create its Own Hydrogen Perxode also, I maybe wrong but is it the Lysosomes or something like that?