Hydrogen Peroxide and its Uses

To ensure water safety must take into account two important aspects:
• The drinking water

• The hygiene status and distribution of this circuit

Water purification, at a farm, often synonymous with disinfection, ie the elimination of infectious microorganisms in this medium. Whereas the physical and chemical characteristics of water are correct, we added a water sanitizer that guarantees the absence of pathogenic microorganisms in it throughout their tour of the facility, until the last point of departure, which must maintain a concentration to ensure disinfectant that is active at that point, and, of course, does not exceed a concentration that could be harmful to animals.

The most widely used active ingredient is chlorine disinfection under different types of formulations. But this is not the only disinfectant that can be used, although it is the only one authorized to disinfect water for human consumption. There are other effective molecules such as hydrogen peroxide.

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is a molecule better known around the world what its name says. Is a molecule of water to which was added an oxygen atom, ie hydrogen peroxide.

This molecule has characteristics that make a good disinfectant, is a product with a high oxidizing power, making it highly reactive with organic matter, and thus give a wide range of action against microorganisms, has good power bactericidal, virucidal, sporicidal even. Anaerobic organisms are even more sensitive to the action of these products because they are unable to synthesize catalase, an enzyme that can break down the peroxide.
This high oxidizing power ensures rapid speed of action, although accurate, because the same feature, which in its formulation products are added to stabilize it.

Mechanism of actio

Its mechanism of action involves the oxidation of sulfhydryl groups and double bonds in the enzymes of the bacteria, causing a conformational change of proteins that form these enzymes, with the loss of function, and therefore, cell death . At the level of virus can transfer this ability to denaturation of proteins acting on the capsid, so that later can act on the virus's genetic material. At the level of spores may peroxide oxidizing power to move its disruption dipocolínico acid, the molecule that gives strength so important to the vegetative forms of these spores.

Thus we see that the disinfectant action of hydrogen peroxide is based on vulnerable structures to protect these microscopic forms. Alter the conformation of the cell walls or capsids provides access to the interior of these bodies to continue their peroxide oxidizing power compared to other structures such as DNA, other molecules that alter the normal functioning of these cells or even , the mechanical action of the entry of water through the cell membrane causes the death of the bacteria.

Use in farm

As discussed, the use of peroxide as a disinfectant, we must add another advantage: the cleaning. Hydrogen peroxide is very effective for descaling, cleaning and maintaining it in pipes and water distribution systems.

Often, at the premises of a farm, due to the entry of water from wells or other sources poorly controlled due to the use of medication through the water, or simply due to a structure and materials that encourage deposits of particles, points are generated where the accumulation of organic matter facilitates the growth of microorganisms. These points are important points to address as they experience the growth of pathogens, hidden under this biofilm, do not react with common disinfectants, and can re-infect the water supply to the animals.

Hydrogen peroxide facilitates the dissolution of some salts, preventing their precipitation, and even, due to the release of oxygen from the peroxide, causing a bubble that has a mechanical cleansing effect on surfaces.

This cleaning effect is so intense that in facilities where it is applied, initially plugging problems often occur in troughs and water outlets for the accumulation of solid materials carried by the cleaning effect of hydrogen peroxide.