Hydrogen Peroxide

Choose from 4 different Indigo® hydrogen peroxide test strips for sanitizing and disinfecting your water greenhouse, food products, float tank or hot tub.

All come with 100 test strips/vial, a guaranteed 3 year minimum shelf life. Full documentation provided on-line for Certificates of Analysis, Stability & SDS Statements; Certificates of Conformance available on request. Optional next day delivery in any quantity of most items.

Buy Indigo® H2O2 test strips, the brand you can trust for accuracy & technical support. Call us on our toll free line for immediate assistance or e-mail us with your questions. 1 hour response is typical during business hours, M-F, slightly longer on weekends.

Hydrogen Peroxide Disinfectant

Hydrogen peroxide is produced by our own immune system's white blood cells to eliminate invading micro-organisms. Excess peroxide is neutralized by enzymes such as catalase or super oxide dismutase (SOD) our own natural internal antioxidizers. It is used as a chemical disinfectant for its microbiocidal activity against bacteria, yeasts, fungi, viruses, and spores. Of the commonly used disinfectants, hydrogen peroxide may be more effective against Staphyloccocus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms than quat chemical disinfectants.

Hydrogen Peroxide disinfectant chemical structure models

This hydrogen peroxide disinfectant molecular structure model shows its 2 oxygen & 2 hydrogen atoms compared to water's 1 oxygen & 2 hydrogens. It is this extra oxygen atom which gives hydrogen peroxide its germ killing power on porous & non-porous hard surfaces .

Hydrogen Peroxide Water Treatment

H2O2 has a major advantage over chlorine in the treatment of water in that it does not produce THM (trihalomethane) disinfection byproducts like trichloromethane (chloroform) & bromodichloromethane. Hydrogen peroxide has a low freezing point and is highly water soluble. Oxygen is released by dissociation and helps prevent future production of sulfides by anaerobic bacteria as in the reaction: SO3 + H2O2 = SO4 + H2O.

Further, it is tasteless & odorless and quickly decomposes into just water & oxygen. This environmental friendliness makes it popular for use in industries as diverse as water treatment, mushroom growing, organic farming & float tanks. It is ideal for eliminating odors caused by naturally occurring bacteria and contaminants.

Hydrogen peroxide is an effective dechlorinating agent and removes dissolved chlorine in concentrations from parts per billion to 1% (10,000 ppm) and more. The dissolved chlorine hydrolyzes to hypochlorous acid (HOCl) which in turn ionizes to hypochlorite (OCl).

Indigo® Hydrogen Peroxide Test Strips

  • 0-100ppm: 0-1-3-10-50-100ppm; read results in 10 seconds
  • 0-400ppm: 0-100-200-300-400ppm; read results in 30 seconds
  • 0-10000ppm: 0-500-1000-2500-5000-10000ppm; read results in 90 seconds
  • 2-10%: timed results ~ w/ concentration; confirm 30-35% food grade dilutions

Common Features of Indigo® H2O2 Test Strips

  • clear instructions with labelled color chart
  • indicators on high contrast plastic for accurate readings
  • stiff plastic strips ideal for dipping into tubes, etc.
  • 3 year guaranteed shelf life
  • Certificate of Analysis & Stability Statement, SDS online; Certificate of Conformance on request.

Note: All test strips Made in the USA & are Q/A'd against NIST standards.

Description More Information Technical Instructions/Safety FAQ
Displaying 1 to 4 (of 4 products)
Low Level Peroxide, 100ppm

Low Level Peroxide, 100ppm
SKU: 33815-P100
$16.95USD or lower Each
Hot Tub & Spa 400ppm Peroxide

Hot Tub & Spa 400ppm Peroxide
SKU: 33815-P400
$16.95USD or lower Each
High Level Peroxide, 10000ppm

High Level Peroxide, 10000ppm
SKU: 33815-P10K
$25.95USD or lower Each
1-10%, Food Grade Peroxide

1-10%, Food Grade Peroxide
SKU: 33815-P10pc
$29.95USD or lower Each
More Information

Advantages & Disadvantages

Pros

  • Safer than Peracidic Acid
  • No disinfection by-products - trihalomethanes
  • Excellent Oxidizer

Cons

  • Surface Residue
  • Doesn't work instantly - needs time to work properly
  • Not as good at sterilization

 

More info in Blogs

Technical

How Does Hydrogen Peroxide Work?

Hydrogen peroxide is useful for isolator sterilization in hospital pharmacies and parenteral nutrition preparation units. When hydrogen peroxide dissociates, it produces hydroxyl free radicals that attack bacterial membranes & DNA. In high enough concentration, it overwhelms the catalases that aerobic & facultative anaerobes produce to protect them from oxidative damage.

Instructions/Safety

Warning: Failure to properly remove/rinse 3-6% hydrogen peroxide disinfectant from contact lenses & tonometers (optometric devices that measure intraocular pressure) can cause corneal damage.

How to Use Hydrogen Peroxide Test Strips?

Instructions for hydrogen peroxide strip use is the same regardless of concentration range except for the 2-10% which have a timed response.

  1. Remove test strip from vial.
  2. Dip pad end in peroxide solution.
  3. Remove and compare to color chart.
  4. See label on bottle for strip specific instructions.

Dilute Hydrogen Peroxide Safely

Use our hydrogen peroxide dilution calculator to take the guesswork out of diluting pharmaceutical or food grade hydrogen peroxide for use in sprays, spas, pools or hot tubs.

  1. Strength of your peroxide (%).
  2. Strength you want after dilution (ppm)
  3. How much you need to prepare.
  4. Press "Calculate"

It will tell you how much undiluted peroxide to mix with water.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ for Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide test strips can expire but the expiration date on the bottle is more useful for stock rotation purposes than anything. Indigo® 0-400ppm hydrogen peroxide hot tub test strips come with a minimum 3 year shelf life guarantee. However, this depends on how you store them. If left open in a hot, humid environment, they could expire in 6 months. On the other hand, they may last as long as 10 years if left unopened. Read more in our blog: Sanitizer Test Strip Expiration; Good Today, Dead Tomorrow?

You should be able to buy 3% hydrogen peroxide at a pharmacy (test with our 10% hydrogen peroxide strips.). Food grade, 30-35%, is restricted in most areas & sold by licensed suppliers

Yes, over the counter hydrogen peroxide is sold in dark bottles to reduce photolytic degradation. Refrigeration is better as it also reduces thermal degradation. Indigo 2-10% hydrogen peroxide test strips can be used to test the strength of OTC H2O2.

H2O2 has 4 atoms, 2 oxygen & 2 hydrogen. The image of a hydrogen peroxide molecular model shows oxygen represented by red atoms & hydrogen by white atoms.

Applications such as float tanks or hot tubs use very low concentrations of H2O2; in the range of 100-200ppm typically. Use our on-line Dilution Calculator to dilute food grade (35%) H2O2 down to the level you need.

Definitely. Refrigeration will greatly extend the lifetime of hydrogen peroxide.

Hydrogen peroxide activates the lactoperoxidase enzymes in milk which can improve raw dairy products. It especially important where refrigeration is unavailable. 0-400ppm hydrogen peroxide strips & 10,000ppm hydrogen peroxide strips are used in this application.