The utility of peroxides
in synthetic organic chemistry is tied
to significant safety risks posed by their handling, storage, and
disposal. Although guidelines exist, a lack of reliable methods for
quantitation of low levels of these species has been a major impediment
to establishing data-driven safety guidelines and protocols. This
paper discloses a general and reliable liquid chromatography-ultraviolet
(LC-UV)-based method for the detection of a wide range of commonly
encountered organic hydroperoxides. The implications of this method
for safety concerns around trace peroxides are also discussed, supported
by modern thermochemical analysis.