Frequently Asked Questions

What is Chlorine Dioxide? Where is it used? How does it work?

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Can Chlorine Dioxide replace Formaldehyde?

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Why use Chlorine Dioxide instead of VHP?

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Is Chlorine Dioxide effective for use in BSL 3 facilities?

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Concerned about cycle time?

Our chlorine dioxide systems offer short cycle times for all applications.
• Sterilizers - 30 cu. ft. vacuum chamber in under 2.25 hrs. start to finish
• Isolators - 300 cu. ft. chamber in under 2.5 hrs. start to finish
• Rooms - 2700 cu. ft. room in under 3.5 hrs. start to finish

How can the FDA's request for concentration monitoring be addressed?

All of our sterilization systems offer integrated, precise and repeatable chlorine dioxide concentration monitoring and control. This ability will greatly simplify validation efforts.

Why use a true gas vs. a vapor?

Our chlorine dioxide systems offer quick and complete gas dispersion.
• Complete Coverage - With chlorine dioxide gas, there are no issues with tight, hidden or difficult to reach areas.
• Temperature Gradients - With chlorine dioxide gas, there are no issues with temperature or temperature gradients. As a gas, it does not condense out as VHP does. With as little as one-degree temperature gradient, VHP concentration can be affected. With VHP, this small temperature difference can cause different concentrations throughout the chamber.
• Aeration Time - Since chlorine dioxide is a true gas and cannot condense on the chamber surfaces, the aeration is far quicker. There is no need to wait for the condensed sterilant on the chamber surfaces to transform back into the vapor state and then be carried out of the chamber.

Why use chlorine dioxide versus ethylene oxide?

Our chlorine dioxide systems offer safety, ambient temperatures and rapid aeration times.
• Chlorine dioxide is not carcinogenic.
• Chlorine dioxide is non-flammable at use concentrations.
• Reduced installation costs - our sterilizers do not require Damage Limiting Construction (DLC).
• Sterilization at ambient temperatures (15°C to 40°C).
• Chlorine dioxide does not require high concentrations to achieve sporicidal effects.
• Far quicker aeration due to minimal product penetration.

Why use chlorine dioxide versus steam?

Our chlorine dioxide systems offer the ability to sterilize temperature sensitive products.
• Ambient temperature sterilization – chlorine dioxide is efficacious at ambient temperatures, which reduces the stresses of heating and cooling chambers.
• Shorter cycle times – no need for cool down time as required with steam.
• Reduce chamber costs – chlorine dioxide does not require a ASME pressure rated chamber. Our systems work under vacuum or ambient pressures.

Concerned about room decontamination?

• Remove the human factor from the decontamination process.
• Reduce human exposure to disinfecting agents.
• Reduce overall decontamination time.

Is it true that chlorine dioxide is corrosive?

Most people who ask this are very familiar with the liquid chlorine dioxide solutions that are available, which can be highly corrosive.  The leading liquid chlorine dioxide solutions are produced through the mixing of an acid and a base. It is this acid which makes the liquid chlorine dioxide solution highly corrosive.

ClorDiSys does not produce chlorine dioxide gas in the same way.  2% Chlorine, 98% Nitrogen gas flows through sodium chlorite produce a pure chlorine dioxide gas. There is no acid involved, making chlorine dioxide gas much gentler than the liquid solutions which people are familiar with.

The chlorine dioxide gas generated through the ClorDiSys process has an oxidation potential that is 1.5 times less that of VPHP, making it technically less corrosive than VPHP.

We have exposed computers to chlorine dioxide and after 25 exposures they are still running.
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Does chlorine dioxide have limited efficacy?

No, ClorDiSys’ chlorine dioxide gas is EPA registered as a sterilant.  This means that chlorine dioxide gas is effective and can be used to destroy or eliminate all forms of microbial life including fungi, viruses, and all forms of bacteria and their spores. Spores are considered to be the most difficult form of microorganism to destroy. Therefore, EPA considers the term Sporicide to be synonymous with "Sterilizer."

Reference: http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/ad_info.htm

Is chlorine dioxide unsafe?

The very reason decontaminating agents are used is for the purpose of killing organisms. As such, no agent can truly claim to be safe. However, chlorine dioxide is the safest fumigant available. Click here to request more information why chlorine dioxide is the safest.

Is it true that chlorine dioxide is a carcinogen?

No, there is no data to support that chlorine dioxide is a carcinogen.

Why would I use chlorine dioxide when it has a very low safety limit?

Chlorine Dioxide does have a 0.1 ppm 8 hour threshold, but chlorine dioxide provides a better safety factor due to its low odor threshold, making it possible to detect at low levels without sensing equipment.  Chlorine dioxide has a much quicker cycle time, shortening the overall time that potentially unsafe conditions exist. VPHP and formaldehyde both have longer cycle times, where the unsafe levels exist for a longer time.

Chlorine dioxide is also used at much lower concentrations than both formaldehyde and VPHP.  Combined with the fact that chlorine dioxide has a quicker aeration time, this means that in case of an emergency, chlorine dioxide can be aerated to safe levels faster than formaldehyde and VPHP. Click here to request more information why chlorine dioxide is the safest.
Isn't chlorine dioxide explosive?

Not at use concentrations.  Chlorine Dioxide is potentially explosive at high concentrations in a dry environment with an ignition source. ClorDiSys does not generate chlorine dioxide at these high concentrations, so there is no danger of explosion when using our process.  The use concentration is 250 times less than the explosive level.

Does chlorine dioxide leave a residue?

No, Chlorine Dioxide Gas does not leave a residue after decontamination. One of the first commercial uses for chlorine dioxide gas was to sterilize intraocular lenses (implanted contact lenses). As such, it had to be proven that no residue was left after sterilization.

Chlorine dioxide has an odor, isn't that bad?

The fact that chlorine dioxide has an odor is a benefit.  The odor threshold is the same as the 8-hour safety threshold, so the user can start to detect chlorine dioxide while still at safe levels.  As a comparison, VPHP can only start to be detected when concentrations get above the unsafe levels and choking begins to occur.

Is chlorine dioxide unstable?

Chlorine dioxide does need to be produced in situ, however the life span of chlorine dioxide gas is in the order of days, so there is no danger of chlorine dioxide breaking down during decontamination.

Is there a downside for its visibility as a yellow-green gas?

At every installation and service decontamination that we have done, people are always excited to see the chamber/room filled with the yellow green chlorine dioxide gas.  The visibility confirms for people the fact that chlorine dioxide gas gets great distribution, as they see the gas everywhere in the chamber/room.  It also provides a safety factor, as the gas is recognizable inside the chamber/room, so it is visually known to be unsafe to enter the chamber/room.

Isn't it a drawback that humidification is required?

No, Humidity is required for all spore log reduction, independent upon the agent used.  Whether using EtO, formaldehyde, chlorine dioxide or VPHP, humidity is required.  Humidity softens up the spore walls and allows the decontaminating agent to penetrate and inactivate the spore easier.  VPHP humidifies during its injection as 65% water is vaporized and injected into the room along with the VPHP.

Does chlorine dioxide need to be vented to the atmosphere after a cycle?

Chlorine dioxide can be vented or scrubbed, depending on customer preference.

We don't have "gas tight dampers", can we still use chlorine dioxide?

Not true. While “gas tight dampers” are always the easiest to work with when shutting down the HVAC system to perform a decontamination, they are not necessary.

We cannot shut down the HVAC system in the room, can we still use chlorine dioxide?

In fact, it is even possible to perform a chlorine dioxide decontamination when the HVAC cannot be shut down, with the help of our Room Bladder System.

Other decontamination systems are located inside the room, why is yours located outside?

We keep our equipment outside of the room during decontamination for user safety.  Other equipment must be located inside the room to help it work better.

If a failure/issue occurs and the equipment is located inside the room, then the user may have to enter the room that is filled with a dangerous agent, to correct the situation and shut the system down.

If an issue occurs and the equipment is located outside the room being decontaminated (like the ClorDiSys process) then the user does not have to enter the area and can shut down the process more easily and safely.

What is the difference between chlorine and chlorine dioxide

Unlike chlorine, CD is non-mutagenic, non-carcinogenic, and relatively non-irritating. CD does not form hydrochloric acid when exposed to water as does chlorine. It also does not combine with organics to form carcinogenic chlorinated hydrocarbons. One could ask what the difference between carbon and carbon dioxide is. Similarly, chlorine is much different than chlorine dioxide.

Is "stabilized" chlorine dioxide the same as chlorine dioxide?

"Stabilized" chlorine dioxide has only trace amounts of chlorine dioxide. It is really buffered sodium chlorite with some peroxide. It is also a far weaker oxidizing agent. Chlorine dioxide is not a stable molecule and cannot be bottled or packaged. It lasts at most a few days, then breaks down into chlorites and chlorates.

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