Hydrogen peroxide
is a chemical compound with the formula H2O2. In
its pure form, it is a very pale blue liquid, slightly more
viscous than water. It is used as an oxidizer, bleaching agent,
and antiseptic. Concentrated hydrogen peroxide, or "high-test
peroxide", is a reactive oxygen species and has been used as a
propellant in rocketry. Its chemistry is dominated by the
O-O bond.
Hydrogen peroxide is the simplest
peroxide (a compound with an oxygenoxygen single bond). It slowly
decomposes in the presence of light. Hydrogen peroxide is
typically stored with a stabilizer in a weakly acidic solution in
a dark colored bottle. Hydrogen peroxide is found in biological
systems including the human body. Enzymes that use or decompose
hydrogen peroxide are classified as peroxidases.
