Toxicity organic peroxides

Disinfection. Chlorine, as gaseous chlorine or as the hypochlorite ion, is widely used as a disinfectant. However, its use in some cases can lead to the formation of toxic organic chlorides and the discharge of excess chlorine can be harmful. Hydrogen peroxide and ozone are alternative disinfectants that lead to products that have a lower toxic potential. Treatment is enhanced by ultraviolet light. Indeed, disinfection can be achieved by ultraviolet light on its own. 

Organic peroxides have a low toxicity. The diacetyl peroxides are sensitive to heat, friction, and shock and may detonate upon the slightest mechanical disturbance. Benzoyl peroxide dust may explode easily by friction. Anyone designing... 

Acrylonitrile (Vinyl cyanide, propenenitrile) CH2 CHCN 0 481 3.0-17.0 0.8 1.8 77 Colourless, partially water soluble liquid Experimental carcinogen Polymerizes violently with organic peroxides or concentrated caustic alkalis Highly toxic Usually inhibited... 

Floyd EP, Stokinger HE Toxicity studies of certain organic peroxides and hydroperoxides. Am IndHyg Assoc J 19 205-212, 1958... 

At this point, it is worth considering the importance of lipid peroxidation as a toxic mechanism in cells exposed to ozone. Scott and Lesher (7 ) proposed that ozone injures cell membranes by oxidizing unsaturated lipids. Goldstein and Balchum (8) reported that ozone reacts with unsaturated lipids to produce organic peroxides which, they suggested, poison cells. They used a thiobarbituric acid-malonyl dialdehyde (MDA) method to measure lipid peroxidation. Using this method, we could find no increase in MDA until after visible injury appeared on bean leaves ( ). We concluded that lipid peroxidation may result from ozone injury to bean leaves rather than being the cause of injury. 

Azonitriles are not susceptible to radical-induced decompositions (56) and their decomposition rates are not usually affected by other components of the environment. Cage recombination of the alkyl radicals occurs when azo initiators are used, and results in the formation of toxic tetrasubstituted succinonitrile derivatives (56). This can be a significant drawback to the use of azo initiators. In contrast to some organic peroxides, azonitrile decomposition rates show only minor solvent effects (54—56) and are not affected by transition metals, acids, bases, and many other contaminants. Thus azonitrile decomposition rates are predictable. Azonitriles can be used as thermal initiators for curing resins that contain a variety of extraneous materials since cure rates are not affected. In addition to curing of resins, azonitriles are used for polymerization of commercial vinyl monomers. 

Formaldehyde is a toxic organic substance. It has been found that it can be degraded to harmless products with electrogenerated hydrogen peroxide either in acidic (with the aid of a catalyst, not shown below) or basic solutions according to the following equations, respectively ... 

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