The key difference between peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide is that peracetic acid is an organic solution that can yield acetic acid as a byproduct of oxidation processes, whereas hydrogen peroxide is an inorganic aqueous solution that can form water upon oxidation.
Peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide are highly active compounds that have many important applications industrially and in households as well.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Peracetic Acid
3. What is Hydrogen Peroxide
4. Peracetic Acid vs Hydrogen Peroxide in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Peracetic Acid vs Hydrogen Peroxide
What is Peracetic Acid?
Peracetic acid is an organic compound having the chemical formula CH3CO3H. It is an organic peroxide that exists as a colorless liquid having a characteristic acrid odor. This is a strong acid that can be highly corrosive. Peracetic acid is also known as peroxyacetic acid. However, it is a weaker acid compared to acetic acid.
Figure 01: The Chemical Structure of Peracetic Acid
This acidic compound can be produced through the autoxidation of acetaldehyde industrially. In this process, the acid forms upon the treatment of acetic acid with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a strong acid catalyst. Alternatively, we can produce this acid through the reaction between acetyl chloride and acetic anhydride, which is a useful reaction in generating a solution of peracetic acid having a low water content.
There are several important uses of peracetic acid, including using it as an antimicrobial on indoor hard surfaces, application for disinfection in medical purposes, useful for the epoxidation of various different alkenes, etc.
What is Hydrogen Peroxide?
Hydrogen peroxide is an inorganic compound having the chemical formula H2O2. In its pure form, hydrogen peroxide has a pale blue color, and it exists as a clear liquid. Moreover, this liquid is slightly more viscous than water. In fact, it is the simplest peroxide among all the peroxide compounds.
Figure 02: The Chemical Structure of Hydrogen Peroxide
There are some important applications of hydrogen peroxide; among them, the major applications include using it as an oxidizer, bleaching agent, and antiseptic. There is an unstable peroxide bond between two oxygen atoms in this compound; thus, the compound is highly reactive. Therefore, it slowly decomposes when exposed to light. Furthermore, we need to store this compound with a stabilizer in a weakly acidic solution.
The molar mass of hydrogen peroxide is 34.014 g/mol. Hydrogen peroxide has a slightly sharp odor. Its melting point is −0.43 °C, and its boiling point is 150.2 °C. However, if we boil hydrogen peroxide to this boiling point, practically, it undergoes explosive thermal decomposition. Furthermore, this compound is miscible with water because it can form hydrogen bonds. There, it forms a eutectic mixture with water (a homogenous mixture that melts or solidifies at a single temperature). This mixture shows freezing point depression.
What is the Difference Between Peracetic Acid and Hydrogen Peroxide?
Peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide are highly active compounds that have many important applications in industries and households. The key difference between peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide is that peracetic acid is an organic solution that can yield acetic acid as a byproduct of oxidation processes, whereas hydrogen peroxide is an inorganic aqueous solution that can form water upon oxidation.
The below infographic presents the differences between peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide in tabular form for side by side comparison.
Summary – Peracetic Acid vs Hydrogen Peroxide
Peracetic acid is an organic compound having the chemical formula CH3CO3H, while Hydrogen peroxide is an inorganic compound having the chemical formula H2O2. The key difference between peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide is that peracetic acid is an organic solution that can yield acetic acid as a byproduct of oxidation processes, whereas hydrogen peroxide is an inorganic aqueous solution that can form water upon oxidation.
Reference:
1. “Disinfection & Sterilization Guidelines.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24 May 2019.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Ethaneperoxoic acid 200” By Emeldir (talk) – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Wasserstoffperoxid” By NEUROtiker – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia