Can chlorine dioxide be used in drinking water?

Author: Flavie Gislason V  |  Last update: Thursday, February 13, 2025

Chlorine dioxide is added to drinking water to protect people from harmful bacteria and other microorganisms. Most people will be exposed to chlorine dioxide and its disinfection by-product, chlorite ions, when they drink water that has been treated with chlorine dioxide.

Is chlorine dioxide safe in drinking water?

Chlorine dioxide can be effectively used to disinfect drinking water without much alteration of palatability and can also be used to destroy pathogenic microbes, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi from vegetables and fruits.

What are the disadvantages of chlorine dioxide in water treatment?

Ozone and chlorine dioxide seem to produce fewer carcinogenic by-products but the risk for acute toxicity, especially from the chlorites which follow chlorine dioxide, is higher than with chlorine.

Can you use chlorine dioxide to purify water?

You can disinfect water with tablets that contain chlorine, iodine, chlorine dioxide, or other disinfecting agents. These tablets are available online or at pharmacies and sporting goods stores. Follow the instructions on the product label as each product may have a different strength.

What are the side effects of chlorine in drinking water?

Health Effects of Chlorine in Water
  • Food allergies. Dichlorophenols are chemical compounds that can be found in chlorine. ...
  • Asthma symptoms. Chlorine has been found to aggravate asthma symptoms and create an increase in respiratory problems. ...
  • Rectal and bladder cancer. ...
  • Various congenital abnormalities. ...
  • Poor smell and taste.

What Is Chlorine Dioxide?

Is chlorine in water bad for your kidneys?

The study followed more than 3,000 people for 12 years and found that those who drank chlorinated water were more likely to develop kidney disease than those who didn't. Some researchers believe that chlorinated water can damage the proteins in the kidney cells, causing them to leak.

What are the long term side effects of drinking tap water?

If drinking water contains unsafe levels of contaminants, it can cause health effects, such as gastrointestinal illnesses, nervous system or reproductive effects, and chronic diseases such as cancer.

How long does chlorine dioxide last in water?

Chlorine dioxide is considered hazardous to the environment. However, chlorine dioxide does not last long in air, water, or soil environments - up to minutes in air and up to hours in water or soil.

What are the three ways to make drinking water safe?

Make Your Water Safe by:
  • Boiling. If water is cloudy, allow to settle, then skim the clean water above the sediment. ...
  • Disinfect by using: Unscented household chlorine bleach or iodine (useful against most, but not all, harmful viruses or bacteria. ...
  • Filtering.

What is the chlorine dioxide limit in drinking water?

The EPA has set the maximum concentration in the drinking water at 0.8 milligrams per liter (mg/L) for chlorine dioxide and 1.0 mg/L for chlorite ion. The concentrations of chlorine dioxide and chlorite ion in your drinking water, however, may be lower or higher than these levels.

Is chlorine dioxide carcinogenic?

There are no studies on cancer in humans exposed to chlorine dioxide or chlorite. Based on inadequate information in humans and in animals, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the EPA have determined that chlorine dioxide and sodium chlorite are not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity.

Which is better chlorine or chlorine dioxide?

Overall, ClO2 offers a safer and more effective solution for water treatment needs and is an excellent choice for those who prioritise safety and efficiency.

What are the symptoms of chlorine dioxide exposure?

Acute health effects: The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to chlorine dioxide: irritate the nose and throat, causing coughing and chest pain; eye irritation with watery eyes and seeing halos around lights; breathing chlorine dioxide can irritate the lungs ...

What is the best chlorine for drinking water?

There is a better solution to chlorinate water to make it suitable for drinking, and this will be to use calcium hypochlorite (Ca(OCl)2 ) instead of household bleach (sodium hypochlorite).

Is chlorine dioxide the same as hydrogen peroxide?

Chlorine dioxide is known for its “selectivity” in oxidation reactions, unlike hydrogen peroxide which has a broader spectrum of reactivity.

What is the safest drinking water to drink?

Spring water is among the healthiest water to drink because it offers several benefits. It is naturally purified from an underground source, which means it is free of harmful contaminants like lead and chlorine. Since it does not undergo added filtration before bottling, it retains the beneficial minerals in the water.

What is the next frontier in the drinking water industry?

Distribution systems represent the next frontier for the drinking-water industry. In addition to the challenges of managing and replacing infrastructure, the industry is subject to detailed, highly critical scrutiny by the public and the media.

How to sanitize drinking water?

As suggested by the EPA, vigorous boiling for at least one minute (preferably more) will kill any disease causing microorganisms present in water (at altitudes above 5000 feet above sea level, boil for three to five minutes longer).

How to remove chlorine dioxide from water?

There are three methods that have proven to be very effective at removing chlorine from water.
  1. Evaporation.
  2. Filtration.
  3. Chemical neutralization.

What are the disadvantages of chlorine dioxide?

The FDA has received reports of people experiencing serious adverse events after drinking chlorine dioxide products, including: Respiratory failure caused by a serious condition where the amount of oxygen carried through the blood stream is greatly reduced (methemoglobinemia);

Is chlorine dioxide water treatment safe?

It is a disinfectant similar to bleach and is unsafe when used in large amounts. Chlorine dioxide kills bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Very small amounts are used in public water treatment facilities. At high doses, it can damage red blood cells and the lining of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Is it OK to drink tap water all the time?

Key points. The quality of your drinking water depends on where it came from and how it has been treated. Water that has not been treated or is not from a safe source may contain harmful germs or chemicals that can make you sick. Public water utilities remove harmful germs and chemicals to make tap water safe to drink.

Which bottled water does not have PFAS?

Does Waiākea Have PFAS? Nope! Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Water has no PFAS in any of its products, including its sparkling and non-carbonated water. In fact, Waiākea is one of few bottled water brands to have no detectable (ND) levels of PFAS in its still or sparkling water.

What is the best tap water in the world?

Switzerland: Renowned for pristine lakes and advanced water treatment systems, Switzerland consistently ranks as a country with the best water quality. Norway: Freshwater from glaciers and effective purification processes make Norwegian tap water some of the purest.

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