A study of the properties of chlorine dioxide gas as a fumigant

Abstract

Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is a strong oxidant that possesses an antimicrobial activity. We demonstrated here that ClO2 gas is easily generated by mixing 3.35% sodium chlorite solution (Purogene) and 85% phosphoric acid at a 10:1 volume ratio without using an expensive machine. In a test room (87 m3), experiments were carried out using various amounts of sodium chlorite solution (0.25 ml/m3 to 20.0 ml/m3). The gas concentration increased in a sodium chlorite volume-dependent manner and reached peak values of from 0.8 ppm to 40.8 ppm at 2 h–3 h, and then gradually decreased. No differences in gas concentrations were observed between 0.1 and 2.5 m above the floor, indicating that the gas was evenly distributed. Under high-humidity (approximately 80% relative humidity), colony formation of both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was completely inhibited by ClO2 gas exposure at 1.0 ml/m3 sodium chlorite solution (mean maximal concentration of 3.0 ppm). Exposure at 4.0 ml/m3 sodium chlorite solution (mean maximal concentration of 10.6 ppm) achieved complete inactivation of Bacillus atrophaeus spores. In contrast, without humidification, the efficacy of ClO2 gas was apparently attenuated, suggesting that the atmospheric moisture is indispensable. Delicate electronic devices (computer, camera, etc.) operated normally, even after being subjected to more than 20 times of fumigation. Considering that our method for gas generation is simple, reproducible, and highly effective at decontaminating microbes, our approach is expected to serve as an inexpensive alternative method for cleaning and disinfecting animal facilities.

Chlorine Dioxide Generation Method and Its Action Mechanism for Removing Harmful Substances and Maintaining Quality Attributes of Agricultural Products

“…The production of gaseous ClO 2 involves a direct reaction between sodium chlorite and solid acid, but the speed and amount of ClO 2 ejected from the reactor cannot be controlled (Li et al 2012a). The production efficacy of ClO 2 gas depends on several factors, such as pH, temperature, concentration, humidity (Shirasaki et al 2016), and production methods. reported a ClO 2 -based food preservative, i.e., ClO 2 generated by reducing chlorate using sulfite (Na 2 S 2 O 5 ) to release SO 2 gas.…”

Low-cost, Small-scale Decontamination of Laboratory Equipment by Using Chlorine Dioxide Gas

“…16,28,29,40 We hypothesize that with the addition of SLE to the tote, the surface area on which condensation could form at high RH increased. The solubility of the ClO 2 gas within the water molecules 16,35 on SLE surfaces renders ClO 2 gas undetectable by the EMS. Independent of the mechanism, we suspect the surface area of the equipment and the materials of which the items are made contribute to a decrease in the ClO 2 gas exposure dose.…”

“…Regarding ClO 2 for decontamination, several articles mentioned the use of a fan to help distribute the gas within the exposure chamber. 22,32,35,42 With these reports in mind, we performed 3 identical cycles with and without the addition of a small battery-powered fan. However, the addition of the fan paradoxically led to an average 91% decrease in the amount of ClO 2 gas, resulting in the majority of BI testing positive for growth ( Figure 6 and Table 3).…”

Sterilization of Objects, Products, and Packaging Surfaces and Their Characterization in Different Fields of Industry: The Status in 2020

“…3) and reaction between NaClO 2 solution and concentrated acids, as shown in Equation () and (). [ 152,154 ] …”

“…[150,151] Chlorine dioxide (ClO 2 ) is a highly reactive oxidizing agent that exhibits antimicrobial properties. [152] It is nonmutagenic or carcinogenic to humans and can be applied in gas phase or solution. In situ preparation of ClO 2 is required due to the explosive nature of the gas.…”