Hydrogen Peroxide!

[ledtester]

Thank you soooo much for all that great info!!

I've always known that the generic h2o2 at the drug store is stabilized, but I did not know that the stabilization chemicals were not OK for use in gardening... very good to know that!

I also did not know I could order 35% h2o2 -- that's a big money saver over the years for sure, and I'm very excited to be able to replace my chemical-based cleaning solutions with h2o2 if I can, that would be fantastic! Talk about the ultimate in organic gardening...




One question -- can anyone recommend the best concentration levels for things like watering in soil, versus making a more concentrated cleaning solution?

I would think that for soil watering I would still be going with just a few tablespoons of 3% solution per quart or so, but for cleaning I was thinking that a solution with a higher concentration would be better, perhaps 10%? But I'm not sure now concentrated I should go with the h2o2 before it'll get corrosive and start to eat my mylar, etc... that would be no fun. I'll have to do more research.

Also, it appears that when h2o2 decomposes, it produces oxygen gas, which might need to be vented from time to time. Do I need to worry about my bottle of 35% h2o2 popping its top one day when it's on the shelf??

Oh... any safe handling instructions? I'm no chemist. Any safety info would be great, I have no interest in melting off half my face in a bizzare accident.

you can put anywhere between 3 and 10 ml of the concentrate per gallon and dont worry about venting . HP doesn't decompose. it adds an oxygen molecule to the water,

 

[kickstart]

Thank you soooo much for all that great info!!

I've always known that the generic h2o2 at the drug store is stabilized, but I did not know that the stabilization chemicals were not OK for use in gardening... very good to know that!

I also did not know I could order 35% h2o2 -- that's a big money saver over the years for sure, and I'm very excited to be able to replace my chemical-based cleaning solutions with h2o2 if I can, that would be fantastic! Talk about the ultimate in organic gardening...




One question -- can anyone recommend the best concentration levels for things like watering in soil, versus making a more concentrated cleaning solution?

I would think that for soil watering I would still be going with just a few tablespoons of 3% solution per quart or so, but for cleaning I was thinking that a solution with a higher concentration would be better, perhaps 10%? But I'm not sure now concentrated I should go with the h2o2 before it'll get corrosive and start to eat my mylar, etc... that would be no fun. I'll have to do more research.

Also, it appears that when h2o2 decomposes, it produces oxygen gas, which might need to be vented from time to time. Do I need to worry about my bottle of 35% h2o2 popping its top one day when it's on the shelf??

Oh... any safe handling instructions? I'm no chemist. Any safety info would be great, I have no interest in melting off half my face in a bizzare accident.

It's not really a question of decomposition, more like a question of how reactive a certain solution (mixture) is over time (actually volatility would be the term, more-so than reactivity). Those 10% or 35% solutions are mixed with distilled water; no impurities... If you dilute one of those mixes with tap water, the impurities would cause the H2O2 to react with impurities and oxidize them, thus breaking down the H2O2 into H20 and O2 (water and oxygen). The store-bought H2O2 from the hydro store, etc (35%) will degrade (react) over time naturally. If you look carefully at most of those bottles, they have a small vent hole in the top or side, as well as a multi-layered cap to vent out O2 that is naturally expired over time.

Handling: Treat it as any highly corrosive (oxidizing) material, AKA acids... Wear gloves and safety glasses, keep baking soda nearby to neutralize spills, as well as lots of water to flush...

 

[vspec]

Thanks for the read guys

 

[Dacob]

it's not really a question of decomposition, more like a question of how reactive a certain solution (mixture) is over time (actually volatility would be the term, more-so than reactivity). Those 10% or 35% solutions are mixed with distilled water; no impurities... If you dilute one of those mixes with tap water, the impurities would cause the h2o2 to react with impurities and oxidize them, thus breaking down the h2o2 into h20 and o2 (water and oxygen). The store-bought h2o2 from the hydro store, etc (35%) will degrade (react) over time naturally. If you look carefully at most of those bottles, they have a small vent hole in the top or side, as well as a multi-layered cap to vent out o2 that is naturally expired over time.

Handling: Treat it as any highly corrosive (oxidizing) material, aka acids... Wear gloves and safety glasses, keep baking soda nearby to neutralize spills, as well as lots of water to flush...

Ah indeed understood thank you, I do understand the oxi/reduc family of reactions so I see what you are saying, since the H2O2 is fully buffered with only 100% pure H2O I have no worries. I am glad to know the bottles include a venting cap though, that's good info thank you, makes me feel much safer storing them indoors versus outside.

I'm just not used to working with materials that are oxidizing but not actual acids, so I figured -- better to ask than to proceed blindly!

Thanks again for the info, forewarned is forearmed...

 

[Roseman]

It will get a blood stain out of clothing very fast and easy too.

 

[ledtester]

If you look carefully at most of those bottles, they have a small vent hole in the top or side, as well as a multi-layered cap to vent out O2 that is naturally expired over time.

Handling: Treat it as any highly corrosive (oxidizing) material, AKA acids... Wear gloves and safety glasses, keep baking soda nearby to neutralize spills, as well as lots of water to flush...

Sorry guys but no special jug or holes or caps here .Just a plain old jug it comes in. And if you get it on you it stings a bit and turns your skin milky white for half the day. Flushing or washing it off wont do much.

 

[Dacob]

Sorry guys but no special jug or holes or caps here .Just a plain old jug it comes in. And if you get it on you it stings a bit and turns your skin milky white for half the day. Flushing or washing it off wont do much.

Hum... OK, good to know thank you Ledtester... I think I'm going to be safe and store the full strength stuff outside -- I'd much rather have a bleached out balcony than a bleached out cat... that could go badly.

That's a link to one MSDS I found online for H2O2, most of the other MSDS's I read were similar. I would note that eye damage, which could be permanent, is indeed possible so I would encourage everyone to use full goggle -- not the little hard plastic impact resistant safety glasses but real chemical goggles.


Unless, of course, you have the funds to take a trip overseas to take advantage of the booming black-market in human organs.... I hear eyes are only $20,000 or so... and hey, think how your friends will freak out when you show up with a brand-new eye color... permanently!

Just kidding... but seriously, safely first. And second. And third. And... well, you get the idea.

 

[ledtester]

Hum... OK, good to know thank you Ledtester... I think I'm going to be safe and store the full strength stuff outside -- I'd much rather have a bleached out balcony than a bleached out cat... that could go badly.

That's a link to one MSDS I found online for H2O2, most of the other MSDS's I read were similar. I would note that eye damage, which could be permanent, is indeed possible so I would encourage everyone to use full goggle -- not the little hard plastic impact resistant safety glasses but real chemical goggles.


Unless, of course, you have the funds to take a trip overseas to take advantage of the booming black-market in human organs.... I hear eyes are only $20,000 or so... and hey, think how your friends will freak out when you show up with a brand-new eye color... permanently!

Just kidding... but seriously, safely first. And second. And third. And... well, you get the idea.

Next I think I'm going to play with some sulphuric acid and make some ph down as that is something else they charge a mint for and it's 95% distilled water

 

[Dacob]

Next I think I'm going to play with some sulphuric acid and make some ph down as that is something else they charge a mint for and it's 95% distilled water

Hehehe very true... Strong acids are scary, but honestly I'm much more afraid of strongly alkaline liquids as they are just so caustic sometimes.

Lye for example, NaOH, is just plain dangerous in my opinion. I'd much rather work with high molar sulfuric acid or even nitric or whatever, at least I know what I'm working with and how to be safe.

For the average person though who does not own a proper apron, respiration unit, face mask, good nitrile gloves, etc etc etc I would never recommend they try to dilute any acids or bases or try to mix anything at all at home. It's just not safe -- fume hoods and other lab equipment were invented for a reason. Dangerous concentrations of chemicals can build up very quickly in an improperly vented space, with tragic results.


Safety first... just my 2 cents.... I'll get off the soapbox now... hehe

 

[bigdeal422]

Thanks for all of the input guys. This thread has turned out very useful. So much positivity around this site. Good work everyone! It's funny thinking that the stereotypical marijuana smoker is portrayed as unintelligent and dim witted, but here we are talking about scientific data. Also thanks for the safety precautions and whatnot.

 

[ledtester]

Hehehe very true... Strong acids are scary, but honestly I'm much more afraid of strongly alkaline liquids as they are just so caustic sometimes.

Lye for example, NaOH, is just plain dangerous in my opinion. I'd much rather work with high molar sulfuric acid or even nitric or whatever, at least I know what I'm working with and how to be safe.

For the average person though who does not own a proper apron, respiration unit, face mask, good nitrile gloves, etc etc etc I would never recommend they try to dilute any acids or bases or try to mix anything at all at home. It's just not safe -- fume hoods and other lab equipment were invented for a reason. Dangerous concentrations of chemicals can build up very quickly in an improperly vented space, with tragic results.


Safety first... just my 2 cents.... I'll get off the soapbox now... hehe

This is me everytime I go in my room when I'm doing anything! Make sure of what your doing when handling any chemicals and don't be cheap and go substituting any of this stuff for wine on your next date...

 

[surclay]

SO I am trying to sterilize the roots of the plant without killing the plant using 34% h202. How many Ml of h202 should I use per gallon of water.

how much for plants with out killing them...
how much for sanitizing pots , res , etc
how much to add o2 to water for health


can you tell me in ml to gallons of water please!


thank you so much!

 

[buddaaahz]

Let's look at what Ed Rosenthal says about peroxide in High Times two years ago.



I found this article very interesting. It was written by Ed Rosenthal. I see a lot of mis-information about peroxide, and debate too, so I wanted to show you what he says. Of course, everyone has their opinion. (this is a cut and paste)

by Ed Rosenthal.
How much hydrogen peroxide should be used?
When and how much hydrogen peroxide should I use in my hydroponic solution?

Hydrogen peroxide is a powerful oxidizer that can be used to destroy fungi, molds, bacteria and other infectious agents as well as some pollutants. Adding it to your water helps plants by destroying infectious agents and by adding oxygen to the roots' environment.
Hydrogen peroxide is an essential ingredient in maintaining a clean growing room. It replaces chlorine bleach, which is antiseptic but harmful to breathe. When added to reservoirs, hydrogen peroxide slows the growth of algae and other water organisms so that trays and utensils need to be cleaned less frequently. Soil and water borne diseases such as pythium and other stem and root rots occur at much lower rates in hydrogen peroxide-enriched water. Hydrogen peroxide works because of the oxidative reaction, so micro-organisms are unlikely to develop a tolerance.
There are many ways to add hydrogen peroxide to the water. A measured amount every three days is the crudest method, but still effectively enriches the water. A smaller measured amount daily would even out the peaks and valleys of oxygen in the water. Another method is to use a drip similar to an IV bag, which continuously adds a regulated amount. The most sophisticated method is a probe which measures the oxygen content of the water as an indirect means of measuring the hydrogen peroxide, and adds an appropriate amount as needed.
When used properly, hydrogen peroxide can keep infections in the garden to a minimum and stimulate root growth by increasing the oxygen content of the water. Hydrogen peroxide degrades into free oxygen and water over a three-day period. Some of the oxygen dissolves in the reservoir water and is used by the roots.
Different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide solution are available. It is sold diluted to 3% in drug stores. Some indoor garden shops sell 10% grade and 35% grade is sold in a few health food stores and over the Internet. The 3% hydrogen peroxide solution can be used topically to sterilize cuts and infections. Hydrogen peroxide solution at 10% burns skin. 35% hydrogen peroxide solution acts much like a concentrated acid and is handled as a hazardous, corrosive liquid.
The 10% hydrogen peroxide solution is sometimes used at rates as low as one ounce per 10 gallons water; however, enrichment using an ounce per gallon is more effective for disease control. When 35% hydrogen peroxide solution is used, it can be added at the rate of three ounces per 10 gallons of water. If a 3% solution is used, use three ounces per gallon of water as a cure.

Surclay, using recommendations by ed rosenthal as posted by Tulip: for 35% h202 it would be ~8.8 mL h202 per 1 gallon of water