Hydrogen Peroxide for Industrial Pollution Control
W. H. KIBBEL, Jr., Manager
C. W. RALEIGH, Chemical Engineer
J. A. SHEPHERD, Research Engineer
Inorganic Chemicals Division
FMC Corporation
Princeton, New Jersey
INTRODUCTION
Hydrogen peroxide was first synthesized more than 150 years ago in France, but it has
been a common industrial chemical for only about 40 years.
Most everyone is familiar with the use of a 3 percent water solution of hydrogen
peroxide as a disinfectant in cleansing wounds and 6 percent hydrogen peroxide in hair
bleach and wave-set preparations. Few people, however, are familiar with the large scale
industrial uses that draw annually from the 150 million pounds of hydrogen peroxide in
1,000 on-site tank installations (Figure 1). Such uses include textile bleaching and dye
oxidation, pulp and paper bleaching, ore and metal treatment, plastics manufacture, food
and starch treatment, and numerous chemical syntheses. The expansion of industrial uses
of hydrogen peroxide has been in large part a result of improved storage stability and
decreasing prices (Figure 2).
90
1             1              1              1              1
1
80
" HYDROGEN   PEROXIDE
-
70
-  DOMESTIC   PRODUCTION*
/
60
_   (100%   H202    BY WEIGHT)        /
-
50
.
40
/
-
30
I
-
20
10
9
—
e
-
7
-
6
-
5
-
4
-
1
1           1            1           1           1
1
1940    1945    1950    I99S    I960    1963    1970
YEARS
• CHEMICAL   ECONOMICS  HANDBOOK, SRI,
MENLO  PK., CALIF.
Figure I - Hydrogen peroxide domestic production history
1940-1970.
All safety practices in handling hydrogen peroxide are aimed at maintaining its purity
as manufactured. It should be stored only in original shipping containers or properly
installed bulk shipment storage tanks, and once removed it should not be returned to these
containers. Hydrogen peroxide and its decomposition products are oxygen and water.
Hydrogen peroxide is not explosive and will not burn. Proper unloading and storage
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