Questionnaire Taken from "The Use of Chlorine Dioxide in Water
Treatment"
Q. What Is Chlorine Dioxide?
A. Chlorine dioxide (Cl02) is a very strong oxidizing agent/disinfectant having
approximately 2 1/2 times the oxidizing strength of chlorine.
Q. Where Is It Commonly Used?
A. Anywhere chlorine can be used, Cl02 can also be used. In addition, there are
applications Where chlorine cannot be used while C102can be successfully utilized.
Q. Like Where?
A. Systems containing ammonia or high or variable levels of organic contamination are
ideal applications for Cl02. Also since CIO is virtually pH insensitive, it can be used at
those p~3evels where chlorine is ineffective.
Q. How is Chlorine Dioxide Supplied?
A. Cl02 is generated on site by the tightly controlled reaction of a chlorine source
(chlorine gas or hypochlorite solution) with a chlorite solution under acidic conditions,
In a specially designed generator.
Q. Does Chlorine Dioxide Function Like Chlorine?
A. No, the active part of the C1021s the "0 " portion No chlorinated compounds
(THM6, PCBs, c9lorinated' phenolics or chloroform) are formed and no chlorine
residual exists. The end products are chlorites and chlotides, simple salts, harmless to
the environment.
Q. What About The Relative Costs Of Chlorine Dioxide Vs Chlorine?
A. On a pound for pound basis, C102can be as much as 10 times the cost of chlorine.
However, since C102 does not get consumed by ammonia, arnines and many organics,
it functions much more efflciently in even mildly contaminated systems and thus, can be
much less expensive on a use basis.
Q. Can Chlorine Dioxide Be Used In Waste Water Treatment?
A. Some of the most valuable applications for CIO are in the treatment of waste
streams. Some examp?es are the destruction of phenols in wood treating opera- tions
using cresote, merecaptans and cyanide j4gstruc- tion in process effluents and sulfide
destructio'dPt-h an- aerobic digestion effluent. This latter applicationisince It functions
despite high levels of ammonia and organic presence.
[Link] Much Chlorine Dioxide Is Required To Eliminate These Phenols,
Mercaptans, Cyanide And Sulfides, Etc.?
A. That varies with the particular compound and the pH, but generally 2-4 parts, per
part of contaminant will suffice.
Q. Is Chlorine Dioxide Used In Process Waters Which Come Into Contact With
Food?
A.. Yes, the vegetable industry, particularly the tomato and potato and poultry
processors, use Cl02as a sanitizing agent in water contacting the food in rinsing,
transporting and chilling the products. Also bottlers use Cl02 in rinse waters and
pasteurizers.
Q. What Other Industries Use Chlorine Dioxide?
A.. The leather, textile an paper industries use C102as an oxidizer or brightener in
preparing their products. It is also used on paper machines to control slime growths,
particularly on alkaline systems.
Q. Who Is The Biggest User Of Chlorine Dioxide?
A. The potable water industry is perhaps the largest single user of CIO technology,
They substitute C102for chlorine to preveni the formulation of chloroform, a cancer
causing, chlorine substitution compound. They also use it to eliminate bad tastes and
odors and to oxidize and remove iron and manganese.
Q. At What Levels? AL Current EPA guidelines limit the feed of CIO to no
greater than 1.4ppm in drinking water, which is i.0 /,ppm as total oxident. 0V Q.
What Is The Main Industrial Application For Chlorine Dioxide?
A. CIO is used to control microorganisms and microbiologic2 fouling in both once-
throukhPapplication is primarily as a direct substitution for chlorine where the chlorine
residual limits have beerr reduced by regulation, to 0.2 ppm. or less.
Q. In Open Recirculating Cooling Water, Why Is Chlorine Dioxide Used?
A. C102 is much more cost effective than chlorine or proprietary biocides when the
tower water is subject to contamination by ammonia or other organics. Also excessive
use of chlorine can lead to tower wood deligniftcation and/or admiralty dezincification.
Additionally, chlorine is undesirable in the waste stream because it can either react with
other organics and form toxic chlorinated organic compounds or not react and show up
in receiving waters in violation or regulations.
[Link] Levels Of Residual And Therefore What Costs Are Associated With
Chlorine Dioxide Treatment Of Cooling Water?
A. On an average, clean cooling water system, 2-4 ppm. for 2-4 hours per day or every
other day, should suffice. As an example, use a system withlO,000 gpm circulation rate,
containing 50,000 gallons of water. It would require 1.5 pounds be maintained for the 3
hours. Assume that 3.0 pounds will accomplish this. At a cost of $3-5 per pound that
equates to $6-12 per day. For a fouled system, double or triple that number.
Q. Could A Feed System Be Automated To Provide For That 2-4 Ppm, 2-4 Hours
Per Day, Every Other Day System?
A. Yes, quite easily and inexpensively.
Q. What Would Be The Cost Of A Generator Andinstallation?
A. Depending on the type of generator selected (gas or all liquid) It would run
approximately from $5-7,000