Henry John Horstman Fenton facts for kids

Henry John Horstman Fenton (born 18 February 1854 – died 13 January 1929) was a clever British chemist. In the 1890s, he invented something very important called Fenton's reagent. This special liquid is a mix of hydrogen peroxide and an iron catalyst. A catalyst is something that speeds up a chemical reaction without being used up itself. Fenton's reagent is used to clean up harmful substances, like pollution in waste water. It can destroy bad chemicals such as trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE).

Who Was Henry Fenton?

Henry Fenton was born in London, England. He went to school at Magdalen College School, Oxford, then studied at King's College London and Christ's College, Cambridge. He loved chemistry! In 1878, he became a chemistry demonstrator at Cambridge University. Later, from 1904 to 1924, he was a university lecturer in chemistry there. He spent many years teaching and researching.

How Fenton's Reagent Helps

Fenton's reagent is a powerful tool for cleaning up the environment. It works by a process called oxidation. This is like a chemical burning, but without fire. It breaks down harmful organic compounds into simpler, less dangerous substances. For example, it can help clean up industrial waste and polluted groundwater. This makes it very useful for environmental cleanup projects around the world.

See also

• Environmental remediation