Chlorine Dioxide (ClO2)
- Chlorine Dioxide can be found in a gaseous, liquid or solid state.Chlorine dioxide is more selective in its reactions, resulting in significantly less chemical usage per unit volume of treated water when used as a disinfectant.
- Biofilms in cooling water systems are known to reduce flow and impede heat transfer efficiency in industrial piping and heat-exchangers. Because ClO2 is a true dissolved gas in solution, it can rapidly diffuse and penetrate the polysaccharide-based biofilm substrate, killing microbes both throughout and beneath the biofilm. Upon reaction a large portion of the ClO2 will grab one electron to form the chlorite ion, ClO2–. Chlorite ions, a weaker oxidant, in the presence of a low pH environment, as expected in biofilm sheltered under deposit corrosion sites, will react with the acidity to form chlorine dioxide again. This recycle mechanism places the biocide where it is needed most.
- ClO2 reacts with the basic cell structure, and shuts down the metabolism of microorganisms, rendering them incapable of modifying their cell structure and, therefore, making the use of alternating chemistries unnecessary.
- Chlorine dioxide has the potential to degrade trace amounts of endocrine disruptors and pharmaceutical drugs from persisting in drinking water.
- Microorganisms that show resistance to traditional water treatment, Legionella and Cryptosporidium, can be effectively eliminated using chlorine dioxide. There have been no reported cases to indicate that any microorganisms can develop resistance to ClO2.
- Chlorine dioxide does not react with ammonia and maintains selective oxidation despite organic contamination.
- Due to it having less potential to produce toxic reaction products during treatment of organic matter, chlorine dioxide does not produce Trihalomethanes, Haloacetic Acidss, or nitrogenated Disinfection By-Products.
- Chlorine dioxide is a more powerful disinfectant than both free chlorine and chloramines, while only producing inorganic DBPs that can be removed post disinfection. Due to the powerful +5 oxidation capacity of chlorine in the ClO2 molecule, it contains 263 percent 'available chlorine', which is more than 2.5 times the relative power of chlorine.
- Due to its volatility, chlorine dioxide must be produced on site and can only be store for a limited amount of time.
- In its gaseous form, chlorine dioxide can be used as a fumigant for enclosed spaces that require disinfection and odour neutralisation. Studies showed that gaseous ClO2 can be used to safely inactivate airborne viruses.
- Sodium Chlorite requires EPA/NSF 60 certification for use in Drinking Water application
