por He calcium peroxide, also known as calcium dioxide, is a chemical compound with the formula CaO2. It is produced with the interaction of the solution of a salt or calcium hydroxide and sodium peroxide with subsequent crystallization.
Calcium peroxide is produced by precipitation of the octahydrate compound from an aqueous solution, followed by dehydration at temperatures above 100°C.
Calcium peroxide decomposes to release oxygen when in contact with hydrated material. CaO2 is one of the most temperature stable inorganic peroxides and decomposes slowly in moist air.
A 1:100 aqueous suspension has a pH of about 12. Except for its stable oxygen-releasing ability, CaO2 has similar functions to other peroxides: whitening, disinfecting, and deodorizing. In addition, it is worth noting that CaO2 is environmentally friendly due to its properties. (Kingsfield Inc, 2011).
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Physical and chemical properties of calcium peroxide
Calcium peroxide is a white or yellowish powder with no characteristic aroma or flavor (National Center for Biotechnology Information., 2017).
CaO2 has a molecular weight of 72.0768 g/mol and a density of 2.91 g/ml. The compound has a melting point of 200 °C and decomposes above 355 °C. It is slightly soluble in water, forming hydrogen peroxide. It has a pKa of 12.5 (Royal Society of Chemistry, 2015).
Calcium peroxide is an explosion hazard if mixed with finely divided organic matter. The compound is not combustible itself, but rather accelerates the combustion of combustible material. This is because mixtures of combustible material and peroxide can ignite on friction or contact with moisture.
Reactivity and hazards
Calcium peroxide, although it is a relatively stable compound compared to other peroxides, is classified as an explosive compound and a strong oxidizing agent.
Contact with calcium peroxide can severely irritate and can burn the skin and eyes. Exposure may irritate eyes, nose, and throat.
Prolonged exposure may damage the skin. Higher levels of calcium peroxide can irritate the lungs and cause coughing or shortness of breath.
Even higher exposures can cause a buildup of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), resulting in death (National Library of Medicine, 2015).
In case of contact with eyes, contact lenses should be checked and removed. Subsequently, immediately wash the eyes with plenty of cold water for at least 15 minutes.
In case of skin contact, the affected area should be immediately flushed with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes while removing contaminated clothing and shoes. Cover irritated skin with an emollient. Wash clothing and shoes before reuse. If contact is severe, wash with disinfectant soap and cover contaminated skin with antibacterial cream.
In case of inhalation, the victim should be moved to a cool place. If he is not breathing, artificial respiration is given.
If the compound is ingested, vomiting should be induced unless directed by medical personnel. It is advised to drink large quantities of water to dilute the compound. Tight clothing such as a shirt collar, belt, or tie should be loosened.
In all cases medical attention should be obtained immediately (Material Safety Data Sheet Calcium peroxide, 2013).
Applications
Use in soil remediation
Of all the ways you could make use of calcium peroxide, its agricultural application is the most prevalent. The fact that calcium peroxide releases oxygen when in contact with water means that it can be used as a way to rejuvenate depleted soil.
Normally, after intensive farming or when the soil is flooded, nutrients and oxygen are lost from the soil, making it sterile.
In such a scenario, various artificial fertilizers must be used to add minerals and nutrients to the soil, in addition to other interventions to make it viable again. Calcium peroxide is critical to this process, as it is used to increase the oxygen content of the soil.
Other uses
The fact that calcium peroxide can release hydrogen peroxide when combined with acids means that it can be used as a bleaching agent.
It is widely used in this way in many paper industries. The production of hydrogen peroxide by this compound also makes it useful in deodorizing and bleaching hair products as well as textiles.
Calcium peroxide also has a place in health care, as it can be used as an antiseptic.
Calcium peroxide is used in baking as a processing aid in bread dough mix. The compound breaks down into oxygen once it comes into contact with water. This oxidizes and strengthens the disulfide and non-disulfide cross-links in gluten.
environmental restoration
The fact that calcium peroxide can act as a source of oxygen means that it is useful in many ecological scenarios.
For example, there are many bodies of water such as lakes and ponds that have become non-viable due to pollution and other related factors.
In such a scenario, calcium peroxide can be used to rejuvenate these bodies of water as well. The oxygen released by the reaction between the water and the compound restores the oxygen content of the water.
Industrial use
The role of calcium peroxide in the production of plastics is critical for the catalysis and crosslinking processes of the different compounds that are used in the polymerization of plastics to make them hard. Calcium peroxide is also used as an initiator for these processes (Chuangjia Chemical Co, 2011).
References
CALCIUM PEROXIDE. (2016). Retrieved from cameochemicals.noaa.gov.
Calcium Peroxide. (SF). Retrieved from bakepedia.com.
Chuangjia Chemical Co. (2011). Calcium Peroxide. Retrieved from chinacjchem.com.
EMBL-EBI. (2014, July 28). calcium peroxide. Retrieved from ebi.ac.uk.
Kingsfield Inc. (2011). Calcium Peroxide—CALGRO™. Retrieved from kingsfield inc.
Material Safety Data Sheet Calcium peroxide. (2013, May 21). Retrieved from sciencelab.com.
National Center for Biotechnology Information. . (2017, March 11). PubChem Compound Database; CID=14779. Retrieved from PubChem.
National Library of Medicine. (2015, October 19). CALCIUM PEROXIDE. Recovered detoxnet.
Royal Society of Chemistry. (2015). Calcium dioxidanediide. Retrieved from chemspider.com.