Basic Chemicals Segment

Paper pulp bleaching

Demand for hydrogen peroxide has soared as a chlorine-free bleaching agent for paper pulp to make copy paper and other kinds of white paper we see around us every day. Hydrogen peroxide is also used in many other applications such as industrial oxidation, cleaning agent in semiconductor manufacturing, and pollution/wastewater treatment.

Environmental Applications

Hydrogen peroxide is now used not only in wastewater treatment, but to purify contaminated soil as well. Hydrogen peroxide has long been used as an oxygen source in soil purification, but recently, its powers of oxidation have come to be used to break down organic contaminants such as VOCs.
Using hydrogen peroxide, it is possible to treat high concentrations of contamination (which would be difficult using microbes), and thereby shorten the purification process. Because the only residue left by the hydrogen peroxide after it breaks down is water and hydrogen, there is no worry about negative effects on the environment. Hydrogen peroxide is an ideal candidate for soil purification applications, and we expect demand to continue to grow.

Hydrogen Peroxide Derivatives

We are working to further expand this business area by developing products that use hydrogen peroxide (derivatives). One of these is sodium percarbonate (PC), a solid form of hydrogen peroxide that is used as a bleaching agent for clothing and in dishwasher detergent, among other applications.

Our other derivatives such as acetyl hydroperoxide are used in a wide range of applications. For instance, Oxypail is used to sterilize plastic bottle filling lines and endoscopes, and food additive OXYATTACK is used for surface anti-bacterial treatment of meats, vegetables, and fruits. OXYATTACK is designated as a food additive by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. This product was developed using our accumulated expertise. OXYATTACK can be used for surface anti-bacterial treatment of beef, pork, chickens, vegetables, and fruits. Compared to conventional disinfectant agents, it causes less deactivation due to the presence of organic substances and reduces the amount of washing water usage. Because of these features, OXYATTACK is drawing the attention in the food industry.
For agricultural and gardening sectors, we supply M.O.X. which is an oxygen supply agent (soil conditioner) made primarily of hydrogen peroxide and is gentle to the environment.
M.O.X. is also used as a pesticide in fish farms and protects fish from parasites. It promotes the healthy growth of fish without contaminating the seas.

With these hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen peroxide derivative products, the Hodogaya Chemical group is contributing to the effort to reduce environmental impact by producing environmentally friendly products.