First, let me explain that hydrogen peroxide is two molecules of hydrogen combined with two molecules of oxygen (H2O2). If this looks familiar, H2O is just plain water. H2O2 exists in rain and snow and plants (it is manufactured during the process of photosynthesis). When we eat raw fruits and vegetables, we ingest H2O2 (cooking destroys it), which is one of the reasons raw plant foods are so good for our bodies. H2O2 is vital for many metabolic processes. H2O2 is produced by our immune systems in whatever amounts are needed to quickly destroy any invading hostile organisms. Mother's milk contains a lot of H2O2, especially colostrum, the first milk created after birth, which activates the immune system of the newborn.
The Amish use hydrogen peroxide in agriculture. When they spray their plants with an H2O2 solution of one ounce 3 percent solution to one quart water, they get increased yields and the bugs just disappear (I think because the plants are so healthy). An ounce of 3% H2O2 per quart of water used. Seeds germinate faster and have bigger sprouts when they are soaked before sprouting in one ounce of H2O2 to a pint of water.
So hydrogen peroxide is a very natural substance, used throughout nature. The hydrogen peroxide we buy in bottles, however, is made from hydrogen extracted from coal-tar products and oxygen from the air. It is an industrial, manufactured product.
The "drug store" hydrogen peroxide is what is called a "3% solution." The MSDS for Hydrogen Peroxide Solution 3% says it contains:
| Ingredient |
CAS No |
Percent |
Hazardous |
| |
|
|
|
| Hydrogen Peroxide |
7722-84-1 2 |
4% |
Yes |
| Phenacetin |
62-44-2 |
< 0.05% |
No |
| Water |
7732-18-5 96 |
98% |
No |
Under "Hazards Identification" it says:
WARNING! MAY BE HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED. CAUSES EYE IRRITATION.
It recommends using goggles, lab coast, and proper gloves when used in a lab.
Potential Health Effects listed are
Inhalation:
Not expected to be a health hazard under normal conditions.
Ingestion:
Large oral doses may cause irritation and blistering to the mouth, throat, and abdomen. May also cause abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Skin Contact:
No adverse effects expected on intact skin. Contact on burn or open skin may cause stinging pain or irritation.
Eye Contact:
Causes irritation, redness, and pain.
Chronic Exposure:
No information found.
Aggravation of Pre-existing Conditions:
No information found.
So the hazard from hydrogen peroxide is not from inhaling toxic fumes that damage the immune or endocrine systems of the body, but rather from its abiity to irritate the skin and mucous membranes through contact. When handled with care, hydrogen peroxide can be a useful alternative to more toxic chemicals.
Now let's look at this ingredient Phenacetin. It is actually a drug synthesized from petrochemicals. The
MSDS for Phenacetin says: "
DANGER! SUSPECT CANCER HAZARD. MAY CAUSE CANCER. Risk of cancer depends on level and duration of exposure. HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED OR INHALED. MAY CAUSE KIDNEY, LIVER AND BLOOD DISORDERS. MAY CAUSE METHEMOGLOBINEMIA."
But note that the MSDS for Hydrogen Peroxide says Phenacetin is not a hazard. Why? Because it is present in an extremely small amount--less than 0.05 percent. Why it is added, I do not know. Is it dangerous? Probably not for cleaning. I wouldn't drink it (as my husband does to handle intenstinal upsets--but even then only a few drops in a whole glass of water).
So what would be the purest hydrogen peroxide? Let's look at the options.
3.5% Pharmaceutical Grade: Sold in drugstores and supermarkets as an antiseptic "for treatment of minor cuts and abrasions." Label says "For External Use Only." May contain an assortment of stabilizers, including: acetanilide, phenol, sodium stanate and tertrasodium phosphate.
6% Beautician Grade: Used in beauty salon to color hair.
30% Reagent Grade: Used for scientific experimentation and also contains stabilizers.
30% to 32% Electronic Grade: Used to clean electronic parts.
35% Technical Grade: SImilar to Reagent Grade but more concentrated, and phosphorus is added to help neutralize any chlorine from the water used to dilute it.
35% Food Grade: Used in the production of foods like cheese, eggs, and products that contain whey. It is sprayed on the foil lining of aseptic packages containing fruit juices and milk products.
35% Food Grade hydrogen peroxide is generally recognized as the purest, and recommended (in diluted form) for internal ingestion by those who advocate hydrogen peroxide therapy for health benefits. At this concentration, hydrogen peroxide is a very strong oxidizer. If not diluted, it can be extremely dangerous or even fatal to ingest and can rapidly burn skin and eyes.
If you use 35% Food Grade hydrogen peroxide, you must:
- handle it carefully (direct contact will burn the skin--use gloves and goggles
- dilute it properly before use
- store it safely and properly (we use 35% in our chlorine-free pool and keep it locked up in a shed near the pool)
To make a 3& solution from a 35% solution, add 1 part 35% hydrogen peroxide to 9 parts water (don't use chlorinated tap water). That will make the purest solution of hydrogen peroxide available.
You can purchase 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide online from various sources. Simply type "food grade hydrogen peroxide" in your favorite search engine and you will get a good page of links.
But getting back to the question of "Does hydrogen peroxide contain phenol?"...I went to the "official" hydrogen peroxide website--www.h2o2.com and found this
information on stabilizers on their FAQ page [bold mine]:
The types of stabilizers used in H2O2 vary between producers and product grades. Colloidal stannate and sodium pyrophosphate (present at 25 - 250 mg/L) are the traditional mainstays, although organophosphonates (e.g., Monsanto’s Dequest products) are increasingly common. Other additives may include nitrate (for pH adjustment and corrosion inhibition) and phosphoric acid (for pH adjustment). Certain end-uses -- which depend on the bleaching ability of H2O2 in alkali – utilize colloidal silicate to sequester metals and thereby minimize H2O2 decomposition.
No mention is made of phenol. And it's not on the MSDS sheet.
If anyone would like to do more research on this (especially someone with more of a chemistry background than I have), let me know what you find and I'll post it here.
