Chlorine Dioxide Unveiled: Powerful Disinfectant to Medical Marvel
Common Applications of Chlorine Dioxide
The Limited Medical Applications of Chlorine Dioxide
What is Chlorine Dioxide?
Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is a yellow-green gas that was first discovered in 1814. Since the early 1900s, it has been widely utilized as a disinfectant agent [1, 2].
Chlorine dioxide is an oxidizing agent, which means that it has the ability to remove electrons from other compounds during chemical reactions. This property makes it highly effective in its role as a disinfectant, as it can disrupt the cellular structures and metabolic processes of bacteria and fungi, leading to their destruction [2, 3, 4].
Chlorine dioxide acts as a powerful oxidizing agent, meaning it gains electrons during chemical reactions. This property allows it to interact with various components within cells [5].
By extracting electrons from microbes, their molecular bonds weaken, causing the cell to disintegrate. This process modifies the proteins responsible for their structure and diminishes enzyme activity, ultimately leading to the demise of the microbe [5].
The simultaneous targeting of multiple proteins prevents microorganisms from undergoing mutations and developing resistance [6].
Common Applications of Chlorine Dioxide
Antimicrobial Activity
Chlorine dioxide is commonly employed for water disinfection purposes, ensuring its safety for consumption. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established a maximum permissible limit of 0.8 mg/L for chlorine dioxide in drinking water [7].
Chlorine dioxide gas possesses the ability to traverse bacterial cell membranes, resulting in cell death within the pH range of 3 to 9 [4, 8].
In laboratory experiments, chlorine dioxide has shown greater efficacy in inactivating fungal spores compared to chlorine. It achieves this by damaging the cell wall and cell membrane of the fungal spores, leading to the leakage of cellular components and ultimately resulting in fungal death [9].
A Powerful Disinfectant
The antimicrobial attributes of chlorine dioxide are harnessed for the purpose of disinfecting various items, including food products, surgical instruments, and other materials. [10, 11, 9].
Low concentrations of chlorine dioxide have been shown to be effective in reducing the presence of E. coli in water. A wide range of chlorine dioxide products are available for water disinfection purposes, ensuring the production of safe drinking water [12].
A 30-month prospective study demonstrated that the use of chlorine dioxide-treated water in a hospital resulted in a decrease in Legionella bacteria counts. Notably, no cases of Legionnaires’ disease were reported among the patients during the study period [13].
The presence of bacteria on vegetable seed sprouts can potentially lead to stomach problems and disease outbreaks. However, the use of chlorine dioxide treatment and dry heating has been found to effectively eliminate E. coli on radish seeds without causing any damage to the seeds themselves. Therefore, this approach holds promise in enhancing food safety measures. [11].
The application of chlorine dioxide treatment to water has been shown to significantly decrease the presence of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria on baby spinach. However, it is important to note that non-culturable cells, which are bacteria that do not grow or divide, may still be present. Despite this, the treatment did not have any adverse effects on the quality of the baby spinach. However, it did lead to a reduction in the photosynthetic abilities of the spinach. [12].
In a pilot study, chlorine dioxide gas was utilized to disinfect gastrointestinal endoscopes, which are instruments used for examining the inner lining of the digestive tract. The gas was found to effectively deactivate bacterial cells and achieve complete disinfection of all endoscopes. [10].
Improving Air Quality
Chlorine dioxide gas demonstrated high efficacy in disinfecting indoor spaces and improving air quality when administered in single (0.28L solution, 250 mg/L), double, and triple doses. All three doses resulted in a reduction of indoor bacteria and fungi concentrations, with the double and triple doses exhibiting significantly superior antimicrobial effects [14].
In a separate study, a chlorine dioxide-based agent demonstrated greater efficacy compared to hydrogen peroxide in eliminating bacteria strains with enhanced resistance to chemical and radiation disinfection, such as B. pumilus SAFR-032 and Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6051. This finding suggests that chlorine dioxide has the potential to sterilize spores that are resistant to peroxide and UV treatments in hospital settings [15].
According to a separate study, chlorine dioxide effectively decontaminated known pathogens that can cause infections in hospital rooms. While the bacterial counts in each room were reduced, it is worth noting that two cleaning cycles were unable to fully eradicate all harmful organisms [16].
The Limited Medical Applications of Chlorine Dioxide
Oral and Dental Health
In a week-long randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 15 participants, the use of a mouthwash containing chlorine dioxide was found to effectively reduce bad breath compared to a placebo. Additionally, it was observed that the mouthwash significantly decreased the levels of specific chemical compounds associated with unpleasant odors, including hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, and dimethyl sulfide [17].
Furthermore, the use of chlorine dioxide mouthwash has been shown to effectively reduce plaque and the presence of Fusobacterium nucleatum, a bacteria associated with gum disease, in saliva [17].
In a separate randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 25 healthy participants, it was found that a mouthwash containing chlorine dioxide was equally effective in reducing plaque concentration and bacterial count compared to an antibacterial mouthwash containing chlorhexidine [18].
Chlorine dioxide has the potential to aid in teeth whitening. It demonstrated faster whitening effects on cow teeth compared to hydrogen peroxide [19].
Antiviral Activity
Chlorine dioxide demonstrates antiviral properties by selectively targeting and degrading viral proteins situated on the surface of viruses [20].
Chlorine dioxide gas is effective against [21]:
- Human influenza (IFV)
- Measles
- Human herpes (HHV)
- Human adenovirus (HAdVs)
- Influenza A (in mice)
Chlorine dioxide solution has been shown to effectively inactivate human and monkey rotaviruses, which are known to cause diarrhea. Additionally, it has been found to inactivate hepatitis A virus when used at a concentration of 7.5 mg/L for 10 minutes. The mechanism of action involves damage to the viral genome. [22, 23].
Miracle Mineral Solution
Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS) is a product that contains sodium chlorite, which, when combined with an acid such as lemon juice, reacts to produce chlorine dioxide. The creator of this solution has made claims suggesting that it can cure various conditions including AIDS, cancer, hepatitis, malaria, and autism [37].
In one reported case, a patient developed Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease after consuming an undisclosed quantity of the miracle mineral solution. The solution triggered an inflammatory response, leading to symptoms such as fever, night sweats, and swollen lymph nodes [25].
However, it is important to note that this case report appears to have mistaken the composition of MMS. The report mentions sodium chlorite as the main ingredient, whereas the primary component of MMS is chlorine dioxide.
It is banned in the US, UK, and Canada. The FDA has released specific warnings about the potentially life-threatening side effects of MMS [26].
As stated in the FDA warning, MMS has not received approval from the FDA for any use. It is crucial to emphasize that chlorine dioxide has not been sanctioned by any regulatory agency for the treatment of medical conditions. I want to reiterate that the consumption of higher concentrations of orally-administered chlorine dioxide solution is unsafe. Regardless of the concentration, this mode of delivery does not provide any therapeutic benefits for treating any diseases.
