When is hydrogen peroxide produced in the body

To protect itself, the body makes catalase, the enzyme that decomposes hydrogen peroxide before it can form hydroxyl radicals. Actually, the formation of hydrogen peroxide in cells is an attempt by the body to protect itself from an even more dangerous substance, superoxide. Oxygen is a double-edged sword. Still, it does present a risk and this is where catalase enters the picture. It breaks the peroxide down into oxygen and water. And that is why hydrogen peroxide foams when poured onto liver.

If you have ever used hydrogen peroxide to disinfect a cut, you may have also noted some bubbling since blood can decompose hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water. He reasoned that if an unknown stain caused foaming on treatment with hydrogen peroxide, it probably contained hemoglobin, and was therefore likely to be blood.

Introduced in , this was the first presumptive test for blood. But since hydrogen peroxide tends to decompose slowly by itself, looking for extra bubbles was a challenging endeavour. This relied on the chemistry of phenolphthalein, well-known today to students as an acid-base indicator. Phenolphthalein is colourless in acid but turns a deep pink in a basic solution.

Environmentally Friendly Catalysts. Catalysts All Around Us. Homogeneous Catalysts. Enzymes as Catalysts. School Science. Johnson Matthey Catalysts. This proved that the white blood cells needed hydrogen peroxide to sense the wound, and move towards it. Yet they suggest a shift in understanding human conditions in which hydrogen peroxide may play a role. The compound—and the proteins responsible for producing other ROS molecules—are especially numerous in the lung and gut.

So the researchers hypothesize that human diseases relevant to these findings would include any affecting the lung and gut that involve disproportionate levels of white blood cells, like asthma, chronic pulmonary obstruction, and some inflammatory gut diseases. This is certainly a question worth pursuing. Campus Alert. Returning to Campus. Hydrogen Peroxide Marshals Immune System.

Retrieved November 10, from www. It could enable hospitals to make their own supply of the disinfectant on demand and Hydrogen peroxide is also known as a bleaching agent that is used to whiten teeth or hair, as a KU works by inducing the heat shock response, which protects cells and may counteract Vitamin C breaks down to generate hydrogen peroxide, which can damage tissue and DNA. The new study shows that tumor Print Email Share. Boy or Girl?