Since being plunged into a global pandemic, we’re probably far more aware of being surrounded by microdroplets of water. In humid air or expelled by a cough, sneeze or talking, these droplets can carry tiny particles with them, from pollution to viruses like the flu.
Back in 2019, the basic chemistry of these motes of environmental water delivered a surprise: Researchers found ordinary, otherwise benign water droplets could somehow spontaneously form small but significant quantities of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).Yes, the same weakly acidic stuff we use to bleach hair or disinfect wounds.Now a team of researchers have discovered the spontaneous reaction occurs on contact with solid surfaces, and it may play a role in flu seasonality.”We think we know so much about water, one of the most commonly encountered substances, but then we’re humbled,” says Stanford University chemist…
Water Can Spontaneously Form Hydrogen Peroxide, And We Finally Understand Why
