Chlorine dioxide gas has been recognized as a disinfectant
since the early 1900's, and it has been approved by the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for many
applications in a variety of industries. It has been demonstrated effective as
a broad spectrum, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, fungicidal, and virucidal
agent, as well as a deodorizer. Even though chlorine dioxide has been around for
over a century, there is still a surprising amount of inaccurate information
and misconceptions. We would like to take the opportunity to address some of
those misrepresentations.
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Although chlorine dioxide has "chlorine" in its
name, its chemistry is radically different from that of chlorine. When reacting
with other substances, it is weaker and more selective, allowing it to be a
more efficient and effective sterilizer. For example, it does not react with
ammonia or most organic compounds. Most importantly, chlorine dioxide oxidizes
products rather than chlorinating them, eliminating the formation of
trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs) and other environmentally
undesirable chlorinated organic compounds.
SAFETY
The very reason decontaminating agents are used is for the
purpose of killing organisms. As such, no agent can truly claim to be safe.
However, chlorine dioxide gas is the safest fumigant available, due to its
physical attributes and process advantages. Chlorine dioxide is not classified
as a carcinogen by any health agency. Chlorine dioxide does have an odor
similar to chlorine, which is beneficial because chlorine is such a
recognizable smell. The odor detection level is very similar to the OSHA 8-hr
safety level of .1 ppm allowing you to detect any gas leakage quickly. Cycle
times are shorter with CD gas due to its faster aeration time to safe levels.
This means that a potentially unsafe condition exists for a far shorter time
when using CD for room decontamination.
WATER SOLUBILITY
Unlike many decontaminating agents, chlorine dioxide has the
unique ability to retain its sterilization capacity in water. Chlorine reacts
with water to form hydrochloric acid, but chlorine dioxide does not,
maintaining a neutral pH in water. Gaseous CD is the only decontaminating
fumigant that penetrates water, decontaminating both the water and the surface
beneath.
MATERIAL COMPATIBILITY
The leading liquid chlorine dioxide solutions are produced
through the mixing of an acid and a base. It is this acid which makes the
liquid chlorine dioxide solution highly corrosive. ClorDiSys, however, does not
produce chlorine dioxide gas in this same way. The
method of generation ClorDiSys uses is a completely dry process where a
2% chlorine, 98% nitrogen gas flows through a matrix of sodium chlorite to
produce producing 100% pure chlorine dioxide
gas. The chlorine dioxide gas generated through the ClorDiSys process
has an oxidation potential that is 1.5 times less that of vapor-phase hydrogen
peroxide (VPHP), making it technically less corrosive. Because ours is a pure
and dry process, our chlorine dioxide gas doesn’t leave a residue and does not
require additional cleanup.
MORE COMMONLY USED THAN YOU THINK
Chlorine dioxide is widely used as an antimicrobial and as
an oxidizing agent in drinking water, poultry process water, swimming pools,
and mouthwash preparations. It is used to sanitize fruit and vegetables and
also equipment for food and beverage processing. It is also employed in life
science research laboratories, pharmaceutical facilities, and the healthcare
industry to decontaminate rooms, passthroughs, isolators, and ductwork as well
as product and component sterilization. It is also extensively used to bleach,
deodorize, and detoxify a wide variety of materials, including cellulose,
paper-pulp, flour, leather, fats and oils, and textiles. Approximately 4 to 5
million pounds are used daily.
