USE OF HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE AS AN OXYGEN SOURCE FOR INSITU BIODEGRADATION .2. LABORATORY STUDIES

A review of the literature on hydrogen peroxide decomposition and stabilization identified several inorganic and organic compounds that are known to decrease the rate of decomposition of peroxide in simple systems. Phosphate, a commonly used stabilizer in groundwater applications, does not stabilize peroxide in the presence of enzymatic catalysts, primarily catalase, which are the most important catalysts of peroxide decomposition. In laboratory experiments, a variety of other peroxide stabilizers identified in the literature review also did not sufficiently stabilize peroxide. It is concluded that hydrogen peroxide may not be an efficient source of oxygen for in situ bioreclamation processes, at the Eglin Air Force Base, Florida site.