How stable is the hydrogen peroxide molecule?

Question

How stable is the hydrogen peroxide molecule? When you use an old bottle of hydrogen peroxide which was opened previosly you often get no reaction when you add liver to it. WHY ?

Answer 1

Hydrogen peroxide is not very stable and degrades easily to water and oxygen. Over time, there will be little hydrogen peroxide left in the bottle. Liver contains an enzyme, catalase, that catalyzes the decomposition reaction for hydrogen peroxide (you see the oxygen bubbles produced).

Answer 2

Hydrogen Peroxide Stability

Answer 3

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RE:
How stable is the hydrogen peroxide molecule?
How stable is the hydrogen peroxide molecule? When you use an old bottle of hydrogen peroxide which was opened previosly you often get no reaction when you add liver to it. WHY ?

Answer 4

Hydrogen peroxide is sold in a very dilute solution because HP is unstable and will chemically revert to water, but much less slowly because of the imbalance in equilibrium. Any liver you add to HP will possess an enzyme called catalase that is used by the body to enzymatically detoxify HP.

Answer 5

The hydrogen peroxide (3%) you get from a drug store should be stable at room temperature for at least one year. Higher concentration (30%) normally required to be stored refrigerated. You should repeat your experiment with thin slices of liver, or even chopped liver.

Answer 6

I think the stuff you pick up at the store is only a 3% dilution of H2O2, so it will lose its shelf life quickly, once opened and exposed to air.

33% is used for sterilization and is highly corrosive, and well as an oxidizer, so handle with extreme care. (gloves, goggles, etc...)

Higher concentrations can be used as an additive to rocket fuel.

I did some Google research in H2O2 recently, because our company handles a highly concentrated H2O2 product, that is marked as oxidizer/ corrosive, is handled & shipped as a HAZMAT, and I wanted to make sure the staff wouldn't lose flesh.

Just my input on H2O2...

Answer 7

I wont even ask why you add liver to it - you mean liver salts Ihope... H2O2 is very unstable even at room temperature and with the effect of normal heat and light the molecule loses the one O and reverts to ordinary water.,.. this is why H2O2 is sold in very dark bottles, and needs to be fridged, even then it doesn't last long ....
PS Hope you are not adding it to your liver by drinking it ....