Knowledge about
chlorine dioxide and bromine chemistry.

  More About Chlorine, Chlorine Dioxide, and Disinfection Technologies

Chlorine dioxide, when used as a primary disinfection in potable water treatment, is a less than a day. versatile oxidant with CT values second only to ozone in biocidal efficacy, but without the high capital expenditures and ozonation by-products, such as brominated organics, aldehydes and carboxylic acids. It does not form chlorinated or brominated THMs or HAAs. Chlorine dioxide oxidation reactions form chlorite ion, which is a reduction of by-product of chlorine dioxide, and is regulated in the State One DBP Rule at 1.0 mg/L. At typical usage rates, chlorine dioxide can be used to successfully ensure CT compliance for pathogen inactivation without compromising the 1.0 mg/L maximum contaminant level (MCL) for chlorite ion.

TASTE AND ODOR CONTROL

Many potable water plants have experienced unpleasant tastes and odors in finished waters with descriptions such as medicinal, musty, earthy, fishy, metallic or rotten egg. These substances generally are produced in raw waters by various algae or bacterial microorganisms.

Since chlorine dioxide is effective at oxidizing low threshold-odor compounds like Geosmin and MIB at typical treatment dosages. Also, it has an advantage in that its use for controlling tastes and odors will not chlorinate organics.

Fast Acting

Since chlorine dioxide's selective chemistry allows it to instantaneously react with oxidizable material to kill algae and bacteria that produce bad taste and odor. Remember too, that chlorine dioxide also is excellent at destroying odor-causing biofilms, which attach to piping and basins that are not removed by chlorine treatment.

In some cases, property designed chlorine dioxide programs may not always show measured reductions of specific odorous substances but many systems report improved taste and odor characteristics resulting from the removal of microorganisms that produce the particular odor.

Easy Solution

Chlorine dioxide, when used as an oxidant for taste and odor in potable water treatment, is a powerful oxidant with CT values second only to ozone in biocidal efficacy. A by-product of it is chlorite ion, which is a reduction byproduct and is regulated under the Stage One Disinfection By-Product Rule (DBP) at 1.0 mg/L maximum contaminant level (MCL). At typical usage rates, chlorine dioxide can be used successfully to control odors without exceeding the MCL.

Versatile Disinfectant

Chlorine dioxide's use is not limited to just bad taste and odor problems. This versatile disinfectant also can be used as a primary disinfectant in potable water as it kills spores, viruses, fungi and algae within the first minute of contact over wide temperature and pH ranges.