A chemical compound containing two oxygen atoms bonded together, commonly hydrogen peroxide used as a disinfectant or bleaching agent.
From French 'peroxyde,' coined in 1804 from Greek 'per-' (through, beyond) and 'oxyde' (oxide). The prefix 'per-' indicates a higher degree of oxidation than normal oxides. The term was created during the early development of chemical nomenclature.
Hydrogen peroxide is one of the few household chemicals that naturally occurs in living organisms, produced by our own cells as part of immune responses. The familiar bubbling when peroxide touches a wound is actually the enzyme catalase rapidly breaking it down into water and oxygen gas.
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