Question About Peroxide

[Lobsta]

hi there, i had a customer at the pharmacy where i work that asked me for some 50% hydrogen peroxide (which we dont stock, but apparantly hydroponics stores do) and i thought that this would make a great no rinse sanitiser that would be pretty much guaranteed to work. my only worry is that it may put a big hole in my fermenter. has anybody got any knowledge as to using this?
cheers
Lobby

 

[milpod]

Shit it put a big hole in my hair,but the fermenters were fine with a hot water wash out.

 

[goomboogo]

The hydrogen peroxide based products I've seen from certain brewing suppliers are about 3% hydrogen peroxide. This is further diluted in a ratio of 30ml per litre of water for the purposes of a no-rinse product.

 

[Whistlingjack]

What did he want that for...

As I understand, in higher concentrations, it is one of the chemicals used in construction of explosive devices.

WJ

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

I use Herlisil FP that some of us got in a bulk buy a while ago. It is 50% H2O2 with some silver salts in it. It seems to work rather well as a no-rinse sanitiser. I make working solutions of 1-2ml Herlisil into 1litre water.

However, it is inferior to Iodophors in that there is no indication that it is still good.

 

[captian black beer]

Hydrogen peroxide is like sodium percarbonate but isn't stabilised by the sodium ions so it slowly degrades over time it also has to be stored in the fridge to minimise this. Also peroxides can be explosive. Particularly when mixed with fuels. or heated under preasure. The most dangerous thing to do with the stuff is to mix it with acetone - binary explosives.

So while it's more dangerous it's a great bloody santiser, just unfortunately not safe enough for most people and probably isn't cost effective particularly at the price you pay for a 50 volume concentration.

 

[Lobsta]

ok, as much as i dont know what this will do to a fermenter, i do know a little about the science side of it,

milpod - hydrogen peroxide of any concentration should not need any rinsing, as it degrades into H2O and O2 (Water and oxygen gas), neigher of which need to be rinsed off a fermenter.


whistling jack - yes, it is used in the constructions of explosives and also is the source of oxygen at Cape Canaveral (used in rocket fuel). but as long as i dont go sealing my fermenter while a big vat of the stuff is left in there then throw in a match, that shouldnt be a huge problem.

captain black beer - firstly, hydrogen peroxide (chemical formula of H2O2) is fairly unrelated chemically to sodium percarbonate (chemical formula of NaHCO3). but your point about the instability is valid, H2O2 rapidly decomposes into H2O and O2 in the right conditions (heat and light being the main ones). in so doing, it acts as a very powerful oxidising agent (stronger than potassium permanganate), which is why it works as a sanitiser. but your point about the explosive nature of this compound in certain concentrations is also a apt one, but so are a lot of other chemicals that are commonly found around the house.

from what i can tell, the reason that brewing products contain both hydrogen peroxide and silver ions is that silver is a catalyst for the breakdown of peroxide. how many people find that the hydrogen peroxide no rinse sanitisers really work? anybody had bad infections after using them? could they have been caused by something else?

cheers

Lobby

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Peroxide makes an excellent sanitizer, it wont attack materials, is food safe as it breaks down into water and oxygen, does not need rinsing.

It is a very powerfull sainitizer

 

[kevnlis]

My wife uses a 20% solution to mix with hair dye, not sure if it is the same stuff though?

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

My wife uses a 20% solution to mix with hair dye, not sure if it is the same stuff though?

Yep...same stuff