Difference Between Peroxide and Hydrogen Peroxide

The key difference between peroxide and hydrogen peroxide is that peroxide is an anion whereas hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound.

Peroxides are a special category of oxygen compounds with unique properties. Hydrogen peroxide was discovered by the French scientist Thenard in 1818.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Peroxide
3. What is Hydrogen Peroxide
4. Side by Side Comparison – Peroxide vs Hydrogen Peroxide in Tabular Form
5. Summary

What is Peroxide?

Peroxide is an oxygen-containing anion with the molecular formula of O₂^2-. Here, two oxygen atoms bind with each other via a covalent bond, and each oxygen atom has the oxidation number of -1. Peroxide anion can usually join with other cations like H+, other group 1 or group 2 cations or transition metals to form peroxide compounds. Further, they can occur as a part of some organic compounds.

The oxygen-oxygen single bond in the peroxide is not that stable. Therefore, it can easily undergo hemolytic cleavage, producing two radicals. Hence, peroxides are very reactive and do not occur much in nature. This anion is a strong nucleophile and an oxidizing agent. Since they are easily subject to chemical reactions when exposed to light or heat, we need to store them in cool, dark containers.

Peroxides react with skin, cotton, and many other materials easily, so they have to be handled with care. However, we can use this as a component in bleaching. Therefore, peroxides are widely useful for hair or skin bleaching in saloons, to clean bathrooms, or to remove stains from clothes. Peroxides have a strong odour and most of them are hazardous.

What is Hydrogen Peroxide?

Hydrogen peroxide is the simplest form of peroxide; we can denote it as H2O2. It is a clear liquid with a boiling point of 150°C and it is completely miscible with the water. However, we can completely separate it from water by distillation because its boiling point is higher than that of water. Hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidizing and reducing agent. Furthermore, it is a nonlinear, non-planar molecule. It has an open book structure.

We can produce this compound as a by-product of various chemical reactions, or as an intermediate. This type of reactions happens inside our bodies too. Peroxide has toxic effects inside our cells. Therefore, they have to be neutralized as soon as they are produced. Our cells have a special mechanism for that. There is an organelle called peroxisomes in our cells, which contain the catalase enzyme. This enzyme catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen, performing a detoxification function.

Hydrogen peroxide has hazardous properties like decomposition to oxygen and water with the evolution of heat, or decomposition due to contamination or contact with active surfaces, due to the formation of oxygen pressure increases inside the containers. Bleaching action of hydrogen peroxide is due to oxidation and release of oxygen. This oxygen will react with colouring matter to make it colourless.

H₂O₂ → H₂O + O
O + colouring matter  → colourless matter

In addition to bleaching, H2O2 is useful as an oxidant for rocket fuel, for production of epoxides, pharmaceuticals and food products, as an antiseptic, etc. Moreover, hydrogen peroxide is stored in paraffin wax-coated glass, plastic or Teflon bottles.

What is the Difference Between Peroxide and Hydrogen Peroxide?

Peroxide is an anion but usually, we use this term as a general term for all the compounds containing this anion. Hydrogen peroxide, on the other hand, is the simplest compound among all peroxides. The key difference between peroxide and hydrogen peroxide is that peroxide is an anion whereas hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound.

Summary – Peroxide vs Hydrogen Peroxide

Peroxides are a special category of oxygen compounds with unique properties. The key difference between peroxide and hydrogen peroxide is that peroxide is an anion whereas hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound.

Reference:

1. “Peroxide.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “bottle-of-disinfectant-hydrogen-peroxide-h2o2” (CC0) via Pixino
2. “Hydrogen-peroxide-2D” (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia