The transportation of chlorine dioxide (Dept. of Transportation Reference #UN1760) should be in accordance with all applicable Federal, State, and local rules, regulations and requirements.

What are the uses of Chlorine Dioxide?

Chlorine dioxide is environmentally friendly. In fact, chlorine dioxide technology protects the environment and human health from bacteria and by-products formed by other disinfection methods. For example, in the pulp and paper industry, the use of ClO2 has virtually eliminated dioxin in mill wastewater and has led to significant improvements in surrounding ecosystems. As a result, the Federal government is phasing out the use of chlorine in pulp mills over the next few years.

Where is it used?

A growing number of industries are relying on the superior disinfection and environmentally-friendly properties of chlorine dioxide. ClO2 is also used to not only disinfect municipal and drinking water supplies, but also control the water’s taste, odor and color. In the food industry, chlorine dioxide disinfects water used to sanitize equipment and preparation surfaces, wash fruits and vegetables, and prevent salmonella and e-coli from contaminating meat and poultry.

In commercial and institutional applications, ClO2 is used to prevent the spread of legionella and MRSA in hotels, hospitals and universities. Industrially, chlorine dioxide is an effective membrane treatment, as well as a biocide for cooling and wastewater. It is used in the production of ethanol, microelectronics, nitrogen and ammonia.

How does it work?

Although chlorine dioxide (ClO2) contains a chlorine atom, its chemistry and properties make it more similar to oxygen than chlorine – making it an effective and environmentally safe biocide ideal for disinfecting vital water supplies to exacting standards.

Chlorine dioxide is an oxidizing biocide that kills microorganisms by disrupting nutrients across the cell rather than disrupting the metabolic process. While non-oxidizing biocides also kill microorganisms, they can only kill them when the microorganisms are active. Since microorganisms spend most of their time in a dormant state, non-oxidizing biocides must be used at much higher concentrations and more frequently to effectively kill microbial pollutants. In addition, microorganisms become resistant to non-oxidizing biocides over time. Chlorine dioxide is an especially effective disinfectant because bacteria can not develop a resistance to it.

Ozone and chlorine are very reactive and will react with most organic compounds. As a result, they must be used in much larger doses to maintain a residual effect sufficient to kill microorganisms. But their greatest drawback is that they produce dangerous disinfection by-products (DBPs) which are unacceptable according to new standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency. In contrast, ClO2 is far less reactive. Regardless of its concentration or contact time, chlorine dioxide reacts immediately with the cell walls of microorganisms.

Chlorine dioxide is soluble as a true gas. The ClO2 molecule remains a true gas in solution-making it more energetic and able to reach all points in a system. Because it is a true gas and soluble in virtually anything, it can penetrate bacterial slime layers-biofilm.

Finally, chlorine dioxide and its primary by-products-chlorite and chlorate-all break down to sodium chloride. This, along with failure to form toxic and carcinogenic chlorination by-products and produce a build-up of toxic organic or inorganic by-products like bromates, makes chlorine dioxide the most eco-friendly biocide that can be used.