Uses of H2o2

Hydrogen peroxide is a clear, viscous liquid which looks colorless when seen in small quantities, but blue in bulk. It smells like nitric acid, and gives blisters in contact with the skin. The solution of hydrogen peroxide is fairly stable in absence of sunlight in smooth vessels, but undergoes decomposition in contact with rough surfaces. It is a weak acid, but strong oxidizing and reducing agents. It is a strong oxidizing agent in either acid or basic solution when transformed to water, and a strong reducing agent when converted to oxygen.

Home

• Diluted hydrogen peroxide in very low concentrations used to bleach human hair. If hydrogen peroxide is mixed in correct quantities with baking powder and salt, then it can be used as toothpaste. Hydrogen peroxide is used to remove blood strain from cloths and other items. It is also used to clean fruits and vegetables.

Medical

• Hydrogen peroxide finds use in medicine as an antiseptic and anti-bacterial agent for a long time due to its oxidizing effect for washing wounds, teeth, and ears, and treating superficial bacterial infections. Dilute hydrogen peroxide is used to treat oral infections in the form of deodorant mouthwash. Hydrogen peroxide in admixture with benzoyl peroxide is sometimes used to treat acne. In veterinary practice, hydrogen peroxide is used as an emetic agent.

Rockets

• High concentration of hydrogen peroxide (85 to 90 per cent) is used as a fuel for rockets, submarines, and torpedoes. In combination with certain organic materials it gives highly explosive mixtures. This has boosted the importance of hydrogen peroxide in this space age. In addition, large volume of gaseous products, exothermic nature of its decomposition, and a rapid combustion of fuel in the available oxygen make it a good propellant in thrusters that provide attitude control
  in satellites.

Industry

• Hydrogen peroxide is used for bleaching hair, straw, wool, textiles, fats, leather and ivory. The bleaching property is due to its strong oxidizing property. It is sold in the market under the name of 'perhydrol'. Hydrogen peroxide is also used in restoring the color of blackened lead paintings.

Gardening

• Hydrogen peroxide is a versatile gardening ingredient. It has enormous horticulture values. Spanish water i.e. one weak old hydrogen peroxide solution, is applied in soil so that the root system of plants can develop quickly. It is used to treat many plant diseases.