Chemistry question

notjustair · Feb 16, 2014

This could be tractor related as we're always smashing fingers, right?

I got up in the night last night and ended up falling and hitting my head on the dresser. I wound up with a nice shiner and 12 stitches right above my left eye. Nothing but the good Lord kept me from losing that eye. When I looked in the mirror I was sure it would mean surgery to fix because the eyelid was involved. Luckily the doc with the personality of a fence post took sewing in junior high.

The neighbor told me that peroxide takes blood out. The upstairs of our old farmhouse looked like a crime scene. The peroxide did a great job of taking blood out of the carpeting.

Here's my question. I left the peroxide on the carpet for about three minutes. When I scrubbed it off it was very warm. What was the peroxide reacting to, proteins? Was it the minerals in blood? It sure bubbled a good bit, too. It was a fun little experiment but I could do without the accompanying headache. I hate feeling my heartbeat in my eyeball.

Russ from MN · Feb 16, 2014

Peroxide in a concentrated form can be used to power a jet pack, don't remember the details. I used to work on peroxide equipment used in the paper industry and had some safety training on it. It will react violently under the right (or wrong) circumstances.

Bob · Feb 16, 2014

She hit you, didn"t she?

Just josh"in you! Be glad the blood wasn"t from your wife/SO/kid, and you had to explain it to Social Services! Been there, done that, when a kid ran into an oak chair and split his head open.. the whole child abuse questions, bla, bla, bla,... from a PERVERTED Dr. that molested his own step children and female patients.

It finally caught up with him, the state of ND pulled his medical license over the impropriety with female patients ju7st a week or two before he was to retire and give up anyway. He didn"t live very long afterwards.

Steve@Advance · Feb 16, 2014

http://www.peroxidepropulsion.com/article/2

Rocket fuel!

I remember seeing the torpedoes in the Cavalla submarine in Galveston TX. They were powered by peroxide engines. The later versions were even able to condense the gases instead of leaving a bubble trail.

Bob M · Feb 16, 2014

It's been a long time since I took a college chemistry course. HOWEVER what I recall hydrogen is peroxide breaks down into water and free oxygen - the oxygen being fizzy bubbles you noticed. This breakdown reaction is highly exothermic - ie. it liberates a lot of heat. Thus the warming you noticed.

Incidentally I suffered a similar injury around my right eye many years ago. Had the mother of all black eyes for several days. And I too could feel my heartbeat around my eye for a while. But it healed up nicely over time - all that's left is are some scars where the stitches were taken.

Based on my experience, until your injury heals Advil is your friend(!)

Steve@Advance · Feb 16, 2014

Ouch! What a way to wake up...

Wishing you a speedy and complete recovery.

Reminds me of my boss, place I worked a few years back. Came to work with a black eye and stitched up, scratched up head. Said he was sound asleep, all sudden their cat, which they had had for years, no problems, decided to viciously attack him!

He was fighting the cat off, in the dark... Fell out of bed and caught the corner of the night stand.

The cat went away...

ShadetreeRet · Feb 17, 2014

Call me a wuss if you wish, but for the past few months I keep a small night light on in my bedroom. It's kinda hidden behind a small desk and there is no glare, but plenty of light to see when I need to get up.

Dick2 · Feb 17, 2014

They made small 1 LED flashlights that work great to give you just enough light to get around in the dark without disturbing anyone else. Available in some dollar stores, drug stores, etc. I got my current one at the jewelry counter in Target about 5 years ago. Batteries last for years and years. They use a push button to turn on, if you release the button the light goes out, so you can't leave it on to kill the battery.

Hope you didn't get a concussion. I'm in the 10th week of recovery from a concussion with not much signs of improvement yet.

37chief · Feb 17, 2014

Glad you are ok. Like others have said get a small light. If I didn't have one I would never make it to the bathroom, without stepping on our dog, or tripping over my shoes. Stan

MarkB_MI · Feb 17, 2014

Peroxide is a powerful oxidizer. In concentrated form it is highly unstable and can be used as a rocket fuel, as stated earlier. Drugstore peroxide is diluted to 3 percent, making it marginally stable. (I seem to recall that six percent is the highest concentration that is stable.) When diluted hydrogen peroxide come in contact with almost anything it releases oxygen (the bubbling you see) and it's the oxygen that disinfects, cleans and bleaches.

I can't say for certain what the peroxide reacted with in your carpet. Almost all carpet today is made from synthetic fibers that shouldn't react. But it could be the glue that attaches the fibers to the carpet backing; if that's the case you might find your carpet shedding fiber in the coming weeks.

BTW, if you had asked a woman, she would have told you that cold water is the best thing to take blood stains out of fabric.

ohiojim · Feb 17, 2014

peroxide is what sank the Russians nuclear sub several years back, it was used to power they're torpedoes

Richard G. · Feb 17, 2014

Wife turned of the light and did not quite get close enough to the bed when getting in a few years ago. Slid off and hit the corner of the night stand just above her eye. Was bleeding pretty good. Took her to the ER and the doc looked at me like "you sorry SOB". I immediately said "I did not do it".
Then explained what happened as he stitched her up.
The girls at work the next morning kidded her about getting too frisky and falling out of bed.
Richard in NW SC

Geo-TH,In · Feb 17, 2014

peroxide is H2O2. There are two kinds of Iron oxide is in your blood. One makes it red and the other makes it blue. Peroxide is reacting with the iron.

WantACaseLASomeday · Feb 17, 2014

Ambulance crews in Wichita used to (maybe still, but I retired) carry it in bulk to get blood out of their white shirts because it is quite effective. We police officers were often begging it from ER staff to get blood out of our tan shirts and pants. I still use it when I goof up in the garage and get blood on something I care about.

The dilute product you buy in the grocery store shares few properties with the concentrated stuff mentioned by others as rocket fuel. Have no fear - if you read the container it is also recommended as a gargle and mouth wash.

Glad you saved the carpet and glad you are going to heal OK.

David G · Feb 17, 2014

Oxy Clean.

Glen SW Wi · Feb 17, 2014

Hydrogenperoxide was use in the German V-2 rocket. The peroxide was passed over a silver screen to generate hp gas to turn a turbine. The turbine power was used to turn the fuel and ozidizer turbo pumps.

We had a V-2 at Chanute AFB where I taught missile engine mechanics.

Also had a V-1 misile.

Richard G. · Feb 17, 2014

My mother talked about hearing the V 1 and V 2 rockets coming in to London and you would just sit and wait to hear them explode on impact. I did not know about the hydrogen peroxide.
Richard in NW SC

fixerupper · Feb 17, 2014

OUCH! I haven't had stitches in the forehead for quite a few years but I do remember the pulsing pain and headache. Getting that close to an eye is dangerous. Hope you get over it soon.

Last summer after I flew my injured son to the hospital in our family van I had quite a long job of cleaning blood out of the passenger seat. There was about a half cup of blood pooled in the seat so you probably get the idea of how much was there. I bought four bottles of peroxide and used all of them, soaking with peroxide and then vacuuming it back out. It did do the job and the seat didn't bleach out. That blood smell lingered for a month or so. Jim

Chemistry question

notjustair

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Russ from MN

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Bob

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Steve@Advance

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Bob M

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Steve@Advance

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ShadetreeRet

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Dick2

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37chief

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MarkB_MI

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Geo-TH,In

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WantACaseLASomeday

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