The bacterium has also been studied for its unique method of detoxifying superoxide into hydrogen peroxide then water. Typically superoxide dismutase is used to detoxify superoxide. This reaction produces oxygen as an intermediate that is then converted to hydrogen peroxide. However, being anaerobic, the oxygen intermediate would be fatal to the bacteria so they need an alternative method of detoxification. P. furiosus uses a specific superoxide reductase, and borrows an electron from another compound, to reduce superoxide to hydrogen peroxide and water without harmful oxygen as an intermediate. This could have potential industrial uses.