Chlorine dioxide
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It is a chemical disinfectant capable of destroying bacteria, fungi, viruses and spores, that is, it has a broad spectrum of action, it does not produce bacterial resistance to the disinfectant, it does not leave residues and the reaction products are friendly to the environment, it has a high solubility in water so it can be applied to the hands without having the effect of alcohols that mistreat the skin by drying it out
It is a disinfectant with great oxidizing power that allows it to be applied in quantities ranging from 1 to 5 parts per million to disinfect vegetables and make water drinkable. At 50 ppm it can be used to disinfect hands instead of of alcohol in gel and can be applied to clothing without damaging it and from 100 to 200 ppm to more strongly disinfect surfaces where there is a high movement of people such as counters, doorknobs, work tables, medical offices. When applied, it does not damage clothing or the skin like HCL and sodium hypochlorite.
Chlorine dioxide, compared to chlorine, is more effective as a disinfectant because in water, chlorine exists as HOCl and OCl-. As a result, the bacterial cell walls become negatively charged and repel these compounds, leading to less penetration and absorption of the disinfectant into the membranes.
How does ClO2 work?
Chlorine dioxide exists in water as ClO2, exhibiting little or no dissociation, so it can permeate bacterial cell membranes and destroy them (Junli et al. 1997). Its action on viruses includes adsorption and penetration into the protein coat of the viral capsid and reaction with viral RNA. As a result, the genetic capacity of the virus is damaged (Junli and others 1997
a). Chlorine Dioxide oxidizes at a voltage below which living tissue could be damaged, but at a voltage above which viruses and bacteria begin to be destroyed. In a nutshell, Chlorine Dioxide is capable of destroying pathogens without damaging the cells of the human body. Compared to Other Oxidative Substances
Chlorine Dioxide has no adverse effects against human tissues or cells and is a good element for the elimination of pathogens thanks to its selective oxidation.
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The FDA and EPA have recognized the value of chlorine dioxide as an antimicrobial, it is approved for use in direct contact with food and for the disinfection of all work surfaces in food processing industries.
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