Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a clear, colorless, versatile liquid chemical with many industrial applications. To manufacture it, chemists combine isopropyl alcohol or anthraquinone with oxygen. Chemists expose hydrogen peroxide solution to salts of metals like copper, manganese, and iron at high temperatures. The solution decomposes oxygen and water from the chemical salts. This liquid chemical is widely used in the metal extraction industry.
It’s also used to facilitate the manufacturing of consumer products like antiseptics, bleaches, toothpaste, and hair dyes. It’s also used to reduce the manufacturing of consumer products like antiseptics, bleaches, toothpaste, and hair dyes. Using it is necessary for countless companies to manufacture consumer products like antiseptics.
In high concentrations, hydrogen peroxide can pose many health hazards. Here are the significant risks of working with this chemical and how to avoid them –
Inhalation
Inhaling hydrogen peroxide can cause serious health complications. It can corrode and cause burns to organs of the respiratory system. Users must take particular caution to avoid inhaling this gas.
How to Address Inhalation Risks
When handling hydrogen peroxide solutions, users must wear splash goggles, gloves, and vapour respirators. These tools prevent users from accidentally inhaling the gas. If someone inhales hydrogen peroxide, they must seek immediate medical attention. The victim must be administered oxygen, especially if they have difficulties breathing. If the victim stops breathing, they must be given artificial respiration devices as quickly as possible.
Eye Contact
If your eye gets exposed to hydrogen peroxide, it can cause severe irritations and burns. Highly concentrated vapours of these gas can rapidly cause burns in the victim’s eyes and mucous membranes. These membranes are moist inner linings found inside the nose, lungs, and mouth. Contacting these membranes with hydrogen peroxide is extremely dangerous as the victims’ pains and burns can escalate very rapidly.
How to Avoid Eye Contact with This Chemical
Users can easily avoid exposing their eyes to this chemical by wearing safety goggles. Users must wear protective face masks when working with concentrated hydrogen peroxide. If the chemical does get in someone’s eyes, the victim must wash their eyes thoroughly with water. Seek immediate medical assistance is also very important.
Skin Contact
Contact with even low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide solution will cause the skin to whiten and sting. The chemical starts forming gas bubbles in the skin’s epidermal layer, giving the victim painful stinging sensations. These pains can be alleviated by washing the affected skin without water. However, direct skin exposure to highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide can cause scars and blisters.
How to Avoid Skin Contact
Wear eye protection equipment, rubber gloves, and protective clothing items made of polyvinyl chloride or neoprene. These materials are fire-resistant, and they stand firm against this chemical.
Ingestion
In recent years, hydrogen peroxide prices have increased because this chemical is used to manufacture mouthwashes and disinfectants. The COVID19 pandemic has triggered demand for this chemical for its antiseptic properties. It can lead to severe burns inside the digestive tract. Swallowing or drinking dilute solutions of this chemical can induce vomiting and stomach aches.
How to Avoid Ingesting this Chemical
People working with this chemical must be educated about its properties and risks. Users simply need to adhere to basic common-sense procedures to avoid touching or ingesting hydrogen peroxide. Safety and health should be in the minds of everyone working with this chemical.
