Chlorine dioxide: how does it work?
Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is a disinfectant that kills bacteria, spores, viruses, fungi, yeasts and algae through oxidation. Chlorine dioxide changes the permeability of the outer cell membrane of micro-organisms, allowing it to pass straight through their protective layer. Once through these membranes, chlorine dioxide reacts with the amino acids in the cytoplasm of the cell and thus kills the organism.
Chlorine dioxide is a highly selective oxidant. Other oxidants, such as chlorine and ozone, react with most organic compounds. Chlorine dioxide, on the other hand, only reacts with weaker organic compounds and is therefore not quickly consumed. This results in much lower doses of chlorine dioxide to kill (oxidise) bacteria, spores and viruses.
Thanks to its oxidising action, chlorine dioxide also kills micro-organisms at times when they are not active. This reduces the chance of resistance to chlorine dioxide developing.
In addition to its disinfecting action, chlorine dioxide also has a very good "cleaning" action. Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is a highly water-soluble gas, which means that, after being added to water, it also remains present as a gas. By remaining present in gas form in the pipes, the chlorine dioxide penetrates through the biofilm (= matrix structure of attached contamination and bacteria in the pipes). In this way, the biofilm (= cause of many bacteriological re-contaminations) is loosened and removed together with the bacteria present.
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