What Is Sodium Percarbonate?

A 2025 study in RSC Advances describes sodium percarbonate as a crystalline, water-soluble compound often used as a source of hydrogen peroxide, which appears as a granular white powder and acts as a potent oxidizing agent, releasing sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide when dissolved in water. A study in the journal Molecules says the problem of hygiene in textile washing is partly solved by oxidizing agents added to detergents in the form of perborates or percarbonates.

The EPA has reviewed it as a pesticide active ingredient. A September 2002 EPA document describes an application to register an end use product containing a new active ingredient, sodium percarbonate, which it also calls sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate. It says that in the presence of water the active ingredient rapidly breaks down to hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate, and that the hydrogen peroxide rapidly breaks down on contact to water and oxygen.

Products containing it carry strong eye warnings. The same EPA document says an eye irritation study showed the product causes severe, irreversible eye damage, placing it in Toxicity Category I, and its storage stability information says to avoid heat, moisture, water, acids, bases, salts of heavy metals, reducing agents, organic materials and flammable substances. An EPA-accepted 2025 label for an algaecide product carries a DANGER warning that the product is corrosive, causes irreversible eye damage and is harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through skin, calls it a strong oxidizing agent, and says not to bring it in contact with other pesticides, cleaners or oxidative agents.