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 oxygen oxygen 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.
