Description
Benzoyl Peroxide Flow to Fine Particles may affect workers in the electronics and plastics (epoxy resins and catalysts) industries, electricians, ceramic workers, dentists and dental technicians, laboratory technicians and bakers. As it was contained in candles, it also induced contact dermatitis in a sacristan. However, some positive tests are of unknown occupational relevance.
Chemical Properties
Benzoyl Peroxide Flow to Fine Particles is an odorless, white, or colorless crystalline powder with a faint odor of benzaldehyde resulting from the interaction of benzoyl chloride and a cooled sodium peroxide solution. It is used in specified cheeses at 0.0002% of milk level. It is also used for the bleaching of flour, slowly decomposing to exert its full bleaching action, which results in whiter flour and bread. The major decomposition product of benzoyl peroxide in water was benzoic acid, but trace amounts of phenyl benzoate, phenol, and hydroxybenzoic acids were formed. When carbon-14 la- beled benzoyl peroxide was reacted with whey, the same compounds were produced.
Uses
Benzoyl Peroxide Flow to Fine Particles is used as a bleaching agent for certain foods, an oxidizing agent, a polymerizing initiator in the manufacture of plastics, a curing agent for silicone rubber, and an ingredient in various industrial processes.
Benzoyl peroxide, like most peroxides, is a powerful bleaching agent. It has a long history of use in the food industry as a bleaching agent added for flour, whey, and milk for cheese making. Contact with fabrics or hair can cause permanent color dampening almost immediately. Even secondary contact can cause bleaching.
Benzoyl peroxide is widely used as a catalyst in the polymerisation of molecules like styrene (phenylethene) to form polystyrene, which used to make many things from drinking cups to packaging material.
Health Hazard
The health hazard from Benzoyl Peroxide Flow to Fine Particles low. It can cause irritation of the skin,mucous membranes, and eyes. An intraperitonealinjection of 250 mg/kg was lethal toadult mice. Systemic toxicity in humans isnot known. It may be mild to moderatelytoxic on an acute basis. The oral LD50 valuein rats is 7710 mg/kg (NIOSH 1986). Itstoxicity from inhalation is low; an LC50 valueof 700 ppm in mice is suggested (ACGIH1986).
Benzoyl peroxide may cause gene damageand DNA inhibition. It has been foundto cause skin tumor. The evidence of its carcinogenicityin animals and humans is inadequate.
storage
Benzoyl Peroxide Flow to Fine Particles should be stored in acool and well-ventilated area, isolated fromother chemicals and free of heating andelectrical installations. Dry compound maybe shipped in polyethylene-lined paper bagsor fiber containers packed in wooden boxeso.
