Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)
Chapter: 2
Hydrogen peroxide is an important product of oxidative metabolism that is key to the killing of microorganisms. It is formed from superoxide anion and can be converted into a highly bactericidal hypohalous (usually hypochlorous) acid by the lysosomal enzyme, myeloperoxidase (see H2O2-MPO-halide system). Hydrogen peroxide can also be reduced further, to form the potent oxidant, hydroxyl radical. Hydrogen peroxide is broken down by catalase if it is not utilized as described above.