Hydrogen Peroxide

In November 2006, OCI Chemical Corporation and Eka Chemicals Inc. entered into a joint venture to manufacture and sell hydrogen peroxide, forming EkO Peroxide LLC. The new company owns and administers Eka’s existing 70,000 short ton hydrogen peroxide production plant in Columbus, MS, utilizing the existing, knowledgeable manpower for manufacturing, logistics and distribution of the product.

Hydrogen peroxide is manufactured from oxygen and hydrogen in a closed process. The material is then purified, concentrated and stabilized. Hydrogen peroxide is commercially supplied as an aqueous solution in concentrations of 35%, 50% and 70% by weight.

Hydrogen peroxide is a powerful yet easy to handle oxidizing agent. Despite its power, peroxide is a natural metabolite of many organisms and has none of the problems of gaseous release or chemical residues that are associated with other chemical oxidants. When the job is done, it decomposes into ordinary water and oxygen.

Hydrogen peroxide has long been used for bleaching mechanical pulp and de-inking waste paper. With the patented Lignox method developed by Eka Chemicals, hydrogen peroxide can remove much of the lignin from the pulp and is today the basis of TCF bleaching.

In addition to bleaching pulp and paper, peroxide is used for bleaching textiles, pollution control and for the manufacturing or processing of foods, minerals, petrochemicals and consumer products (detergents).