

Macrophages also secrete growth factors which help repair the wound. White blood cells called macrophages rush to the area to destroy any bacteria that got past the clot and oversee the repair process. Platelets release fibrin products to form a clot and seal the wound.

Multiple cells are immediately involved in this initial response. When we get a cut or wound, no matter how big or small, our body quickly jumps into action. Hydrogen peroxide can impair our body’s quick response to a cutĪs the largest organ of our body, the skin performs an essential role in protecting us from foreign invaders such as the more than 1.5 trillion bacteria that live on it. The fizzing does actually help remove and clear debris from the open wound. When hydrogen peroxide is poured on an open wound, the catalase instantly converts hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen – these breakdown products generate the fizzing reaction we see on the skin. Why does hydrogen peroxide fizz?īlood and most of our cells contain an enzyme called catalase. It’s a component in some tooth whitening products as well.Įveryone is talking about biotin supplements : Here's what you need to know. Hydrogen peroxide is also safely used as a contact lens disinfectant and in hair dyes. It has several safe home cleaning applications. It has long been used for the sterilization of surfaces and surgical tools and is considered an environmentally safe alternative to chlorine-based bleaches because it is broken down into oxygen and water. It exhibits broad-spectrum activity against bacteria, viruses, yeasts, fungi and spores. The germ destroying properties of hydrogen peroxide are well-documented. Hydrogen peroxide has been used as an antiseptic since the 1920s. Sign up here.Do you need an 'armpit detox?' Myths about aluminum and deodorant, explained The Forever Project's Olivia Wannan will keep you in the know each week. “The potential for this technology and the product is huge.” If all goes well, Pang estimates the system could produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide at scale in about a decade. Capturing and selling the carbon dioxide – because much more of this gas is made during the process – will help make the production economically competitive. In the longer-term, the university team’s work could provide a third pathway, for countries such as Aotearoa with large forestry sectors. But hydrogen facilities must build additional renewable generation, such as wind farms, or risk increasing the amount of coal and gas burned to create power. The Ballance Agrinutrients factory is running a small pilot to make hydrogen via electrolysis, then fertiliser. In 2019, domestic chemical production from natural gas released 1.8 million tonnes of greenhouse emissions into the atmosphere.Īt the moment, the lowest-carbon way to make hydrogen is by using electricity to split water. Industry already manufactures plenty of hydrogen gas to create chemicals including methanol and fertiliser – though this is typically from natural gas. It’s expected to replace fossil fuels in the production of lower-carbon steel as well as powering off-road vehicles. It can be burnt or chemically combined with oxygen, to release energy and water.

Hydrogen gas is a promising zero-carbon fuel.

“For commercial production, we’ll need to increase the scale by 100 times – not the physical size, but the capacity.” The machine is currently as large as a two-storey building, Pang added. For every kilogram of wood, the process extracts about 70 grams of hydrogen.īut at the moment, this takes a long time, Pang said. Water molecules have two atoms of hydrogen, so by adding steam to the mix, the team is able to extract more hydrogen than is just contained within the wood. These make the process more effective, “unlocking” the potential of the wood matter, he said. To boost the creation and separation of the gases, Yip spent 10 years developing special materials, known as catalysts. Then, steam is added and the process converts, purifies and separates this gas mixture into hydrogen in one chamber and carbon dioxide in another. The researchers see this material as an opportunity to create two products: climate-friendly hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide.įirst, wood is chemically processed in a large machine – developed at Canterbury University over 15 years – to create a mixture of gases, including hydrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane. Researchers want to transform it into green gas. The forestry sector produces roughly 3 million tonnes of woody residue.
