At present in North America, ClO 2 is used principally as a primary disinfectant for surface waters with odor and taste problems. It is an effective biocide at concentrations as low as 0.1 ppm and over a wide pH range. 2 penetrates the bacteria cell wall and reacts with vital amino acids in the cytoplasm of the cell to kill the organism. The by-product of this reaction is chlorite. Of importance is that toxicological studies have shown that ClO 2 's disinfection by-product, chlorite, poses no significant adverse risk to human health.
Chlorine dioxide is used extensively as a bleaching agent in the pulp and paper industry.
In fact, in order to minimize the environmental effects of the bleaching process, ClO 2 is rapidly becoming the chemical of choice. Chlorine dioxide is also being used as a disinfectant agent in the food industry for fruit and vegetable washing, flume water disinfection, meat and poultry disinfection, food process equipment sanitizing water and for odor control. Chlorine dioxide is also being applied to medical wastes. Chlorine dioxide is environmentally friendly and in fact is a pollution protection technology that protects the environment and human health from bacteria and by-products formed from other disinfection methods. For example, in the pulp and paper industry the use of ClO 2 has virtually eliminated dioxin in mill waste water and has led to a significant improvement in the aquatic eco-system.