Chlorine dioxide: formula, application. The effect of chlorine dioxide on the body

2024 Author: Angel Austin | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-02 17:39

Chlorine dioxide, or ClO_{2, is an inorganic compound of the chemical element Cl (chlorine) with the chemical element O (oxygen). In this article, we will consider this substance in great detail, and also find out where it is used, how it is obtained in laboratories and industry, how it affects the body.}

What is dioxide? The difference between dioxide and oxide

Many students are lost at the sight of the word "dioxide", because in such a science as chemistry, this concept is already a bit outdated. The word "dioxide" can still be found in textbooks, books and on the Internet, but some schools have already stopped explaining what it is.

So, we all know what an oxide is. An oxide is a compound of oxygen (O) with any other less electronegative chemical element. ClO_{2 is also an oxide. Dioxide is usually called a compound in which there are two O atoms. The prefix "di" in the word "dioxide" means "two".}

If you hear the word "dioxide", it means there are two oxygen atoms in this compound. This will help you write down the chemical formula of the compound correctly.

Physical properties of matter

Chlorine dioxide is a gaseous substance that has a characteristic odor and a red-yellow color. But at temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, the substance changes its state of aggregation and turns into a red-brown liquid. Explodes when heated. It dissolves very well and quickly in water. It mixes very well and dissolves in some organic solvents such as acetic and sulfuric acids. The melting point of the substance is -59 degrees Celsius, while its boiling point is only 9.7 degrees Celsius.

Laboratory Produced

Today, only one method of obtaining chlorine dioxide in the laboratory is used - by reacting potassium chlorate (KClO₃) with oxalic acid, which has the formula H₂ C₂O₄. As a result of this reaction, ClO_{2 is released, as well as water and sodium oxalate.}

However, you can get ClO₂ in another way. There is a special setting for this. The chlorine dioxide plant is a useful scientific model. Such an installation contains a control unit, a reactor, pumps for transferring various reagents to the reactor, as well as various valves and valves. Sulfuric acid, sodium chloride and sodium chlorate solutions are used to obtain ClO_{2. The result is a solution of chlorine dioxide.}

Production by industrial method

ClO_{2 scientists have learned how to produce industrially. For this, a reduction reaction is carried out in which sodium chlorate is reduced with sulfur dioxide. As a result of the reaction, chlorine dioxide is released, which we have achieved, as well as sodium hydrogen sulfate.}

Chemical properties of matter

Chlorine dioxide has several important chemical properties. ClO_{2 is an acidic oxide (it exhibits acidic properties and also forms acidic acids). When chlorine dioxide is dissolved in water, a disproportionation reaction occurs, that is, acids such as chloric and chloride are formed. If chlorine oxide itself explodes in the light, then its solutions are quite stable in the dark, but do not explode in the light, but decompose very slowly.}

ClO_{2 in many reactions it behaves as a medium-strength oxidizing agent, reacts with many compounds of organic chemistry.}

Application

Chlorine dioxide, the use of which is quite common around the world, is now the most popular. Most often, this substance acts as a bleach. Chlorine oxide is used, in particular, to bleach materials such as paper, flour, etc.

In addition, the substance ClO_{2 is considered by chemists to be one of the most powerful antimicrobial agents in the world. That is why it is very often used for sterilization and disinfection of various materials. It kills disease-causing microbes by oxidizing, due to the fact that it is a medium oxidizer. Chlorine dioxide, the use of which, thanks to the acidproperty has increased, is now an indispensable substance.}

This substance is indispensable in the industry precisely because there are few substances that disinfect materials economically and environmentally friendly. Disinfection using ClO₂ is absolutely safe for our environment. To this day, gaseous as well as liquid Cl is used to sterilize and disinfect water. But recently, due to environmental problems, they use the safest disinfectant - chlorine dioxide. Unlike the pure substance chlorine, known to us ClO_{2 does not enter into chlorination reactions with other substances and chemical elements.}

Water disinfected with chlorine should not only be drunk, but also used to wash skin areas. But chlorine dioxide helped to solve this problem: it is quite safe, because it does not participate in the chlorination reaction.

The effect of chlorine dioxide on the body

Chlorine dioxide, its effect on the body has been studied by scientists for several decades. Now this chemical is actively used in the food industry, as an additive E926. Unfortunately, many E additives are very harmful, and little is known about them to ordinary people, consumers of the product. Some additives are harmless, but some are especially dangerous. Chlorine dioxide can be put in the middle: it is harmful to the human body, undesirable, but at the same time this chemical does not have strong side effects on the human body, inunlike today's popular monosodium glutamate.

When eating food containing this supplement, a cough may appear, sometimes quite strong and prolonged, irritation of the mucous membranes, asthmatic attacks. Inhalation of this substance may cause lung irritation.

Chlorine dioxide is a rather interesting substance that scientists have been studying for many centuries. It is indispensable in industry, especially in food, is environmentally friendly and safe (of course, only when used correctly).