One of River Torrens's biggest problems is the blue-green algae outbreak due to Adelaide’s hot and dry summers in South Australia. In 2013, the City Council and Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board proposed a trial of sodium percarbonate to kill off algal blooms. The active component of this chemical is hydrogen peroxide, which is believed to have minimal impact on the aquatic environment as it can decompose harmlessly into hydrogen and oxygen within two days.

Oxidants are crucial in aquaculture, whether used as disinfectants or to improve water quality. Various oxidants are utilized in aquaculture operations, including chlorine compounds like calcium hypochlorite, potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide, sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate, calcium peroxide, and sodium nitrate. In emergencies, hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate can serve as sources of dissolved oxygen.