Chlorine Dioxide – Discovery & History:

Chlorine Dioxide, a molecule consisting of just one chlorine and two oxygen atoms, was first discovered by Sir Humphrey Davies in 1811. For nearly 140 years, little was done to explore or employ this discovery into any form outside of the laboratory.

Then, in 1944 out of measure of some desperation, Niagara Falls, NY had an onsite chemical generator installed to address a serious problem. At issue was the odor and taste of their water after purification by means of their previous free chlorine treatment program. They changed their water treatment protocol from using hydrolyzed chlorine to using gaseous chlorine dioxide. The results were amazing. Within 30 years, another 3000 facilities had converted to this superior biocidal system for water treatment. Soon after, the Pulp & Paper industry converted their processes to include Chlorine Dioxide which also became an alternative for large scale food processing sanitation.

Molecular Characteristics:

Chlorine Dioxide is a gas, and remains such at all temperatures over 51 degrees Fahrenheit. Even when added to water, it does not hydrolyze – but remains a gas. It is 10 times more soluble in water than straight chlorine. This means that may be effectively delivered by water, but it is far more stable and effective than other forms of disinfectant. We will speak more to this later.

“The Perfect Biocide”:

In the beginning, ClO2 could only be either generated onsite with massive equipment and hazardous chemicals or delivered in bulk totes. This was an expensive and dangerous proposition in 3000ppm and higher concentrations. Now, be it through onsite generation through liquids, powders or tablets, the majority of the safety concerns have been addressed. Furthermore, being the ONLY singular chemistry able to sanitize WATER, AIR and SURFACES, the World Health Organization has deemed it the “Perfect Biocide”.