INTRODUCTION

Water utilities in cities undertake the treatment of city water supply to remove a wide
variety of contamination issues, from chemical to microbiological.

Water is supplied from water utilities. Major illnesses are transmitted through water and
food. It is therefore necessary that the water supplied to the city taps must be treated to
remove chemical and microbiological contamination in the water as this is the first defense
of protection of the people living in cities.

Microorganisms find a way to enter the water supply system of a city network. Once the
microorganism enters the water supply system it resides in the pipe network in the form of
a biofilm. This biofilm is formed by the secretion of polysachharide glue like substance. This
sticky substance is secreted so that the microorganism sticks to the walls of the pipe and
thus gets a constant source of food.

Over time the colony grows and this is referred to as the biofilm.

All types of microorganisms reside under the biofilm as it gets protection from external
biocides such as sodium hypochlorite. Since the matrix of the biofilm is strong sodium
hypochlorite (chlorine) is unable to break through the biofilm and sanitize the system.

Besides this chlorine has a huge demand and therefore gets exhausted in the water very
quickly, thus not leaving any residual presence of chlorine to act against any
recontamination in the water.

Chlorine dioxide on the other hand is 2.5x more powerful than chlorine and is able to break
through the biofilm and completely sanitize the water.

A major drawback of chlorine is that it reacts with organics in the water and produces
unwanted trihalomethanes, known carcinogens. Chlorine dioxide on the other hand does
not produce trihalomethanes and is safe to use.

A weak biocide like chlorine is ineffective against microorganisms that gain immunity and
mutate becoming more aggressive to treat. This along with the problem of antibiotic
resistance leads to the generation of the superbug like MRSA, VRE, NDM-1.

Lastly chlorine dioxide is the only biocide effective against cryptosporidium and giardia.

Based on the above it is better to move to the use of chlorine dioxide over chlorine in
hospitals and general water supply.

Based on the above it is better to move to the use of chlorine dioxide over chlorine in hospitals
and general water supply.
Chlorine Dioxide for water treatment
 What is chlorine dioxide
• Discovered by Sir Humphrey Davey as a gas in 1811
• In 1976 USEPA found that sodium hypochlorite(chlorine)
when added to water reacted with organics to produce
cancerousd by-products known as Trihalomethanes
• The USEPA's drinking water division began a long term
program to find a replacement
• Of the three leading candidates, chlorine dioxide was
judged to be the best overall compound on the basis of
– High antimicrobial activity
– Ability to remain in solution
– Most importantly does not chlorinate
 Mode of Action
• Chlorine dioxide first destroys the cell membrane
• Then the nucleus of the bacteria
• Because the organism is totally destroyed no resistant
strains can develop
• This enables chlorine dioxide to be used on a continuous
basis without the need for alternating biocides
• Chlorine dioxide has a strong antiviral effect, and can
disinfect the surface of object and the air in space
• Interaction of chlorine dioxide with protein oxidized
tyrosine and tryptophan, structurally denaturing it
 Comparison
Chlorine Chlorine Dioxide
Does not remove Biofilm. Will remove Biofilm.
Produces Does not form Chlorinated
Trihalomethanes, which by- products.
are known Carcinogens. Not as Corrosive as Chlorine.
Corrosive and Difficult to Not pH dependent works
handle. upto pH12.
pH dependent, ineffective A very broad spectrum Kill.
above pH7.
Ineffective against Cysts Destroys Phenols,
and Protozoa. Hydrogen Sulphide and
Limited Oxidative effect other Chemical
against Chemical Contaminants.
Contaminants.
 POST TREATMENT OF
CHLORINE DIOXIDE

Regular Chlorination Chlorine Dioxide

Before Disinfection
Biofilms Provide A
Safe Refuge for all
types of infections In
Pipework,where
pathogens, can grow
and feed on nutrients
in the system
Chlorine Disinfection
Chlorine cannot penetrate
the biofilm, leaving the
bacteria Intact under the
biofilmfree to multiply
 Effect of Chlorine Treatment
The bacteria that has
re-multiplied under
the biofilm will break
into the water as little
as 2hours after
treatment and re-
infect the water.
Disinfection with Chlorine Dioxide
Only chlorine dioxide disinfection can remove the biofilm by
penetrating it and oxidizing it.

Chlorine Dioxide uses the power of the 2 Oxygen molecules to

completelydestroy the cell membrane and nucleus.

The oxidizing process is so strong, that resistance

cannot build up.
 Cost comparison
• ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research) has specified
that sodium hypochlorite is to be used at a dose of 1000
Liters in 1000 Liters water
• This works out to a treatment cost of Rs. 30,000 for 1000
liters
• As against this Stabilized Chlorine Dioxide has been
approved by USEPA to be used at a dose of 3 Liters in 1000
Liters water
• This works out to a treatment cost of Rs. 6,446 for 1000 L
liters
 Shoes a point of spread
• In Italy the main cause of the spread of the virus were
shoes.
• When people entered their homes with the shoes that
they used to go out, was a main cause of spread of the
virus in the homes.
• This happens as sodium hypochlorite is unable to break
the biofilm and completely eradicate microorganisms
protected by the biofilm
• Chlorine dioxide is the only disinfectant that can break
the biofilm and completely sanitize your surroundings
 FAQ's
Q. Is chlorine dioxide toxic?
A. Like all chemicals and gases it is toxic, but less toxic
than sodium hypochlorite
Q. Is chlorine dioxide environment friendly?
A. Unlike sodium hypochlorite that isn't, chlorine dioxide
breaks down in the presence of UV sunlight into salt and
water
Q. Is chlorine dioxide harmful to humans?
A. It isn't as USEPA have carried out EHS studies and
found it least effective in health hazards to humans
Q. Does chlorine dioxide harm your lungs?
A. It is less harmful than exposure to sodium hypochlorite
Chlorine Dioxide Generator
Our Chlorine Dioxide Generators are designed for conversion of our 2%, 5%& 7% Conc.
Stabilized Chlorine Dioxide product to free chlorine dioxide in the water. Special Reaction
Chambers are designed for higher concentration Precursor Chemicals handling 31% Conc.
Chlorine Dioxide with flow rates going upto 11 tons per hour. The generators for water
utility can be designed for high pressures but are normally designed to dose into a water
tank at a pressure of 1-2 kg/cm2.

The system can also be provided with advanced electronics to measure residual
chlorine dioxide in the water and to correct the residual values in the water by varying
the flow rate of the system automatically.

The system does not require back pressure valves, pulsation dampeners, degassing valves,
foot valves, strainers and float switches if you are dosing into a pipe.We can provide
remote control of the systems with fault reporting, numerical flow display.
This is a basic model with manual digital pumps installed and controlled by timers and
water meters.

The only possibility of this system is that since we are using manual operated pumps
the flow cannot be proportionate. If dosages have to be changed the system has to be
resetthrough the key pad console provided on the pumps.

The amount of chlorine dioxide that can be generated using these pumps is from 1
mg/hour to 6 gms/hour with the potential of 4 bar pressure.

Working of Chlorine Dioxide

Chlorine Dioxide is a broad spectrum disinfectant more powerful and safer than sodium
hypochlorite (Liquid Chlorine).

As per detailed analysis carried out by USEPA it was found that sodium hypochlorite
when dosed into raw water reacts with organics in the water such as humic acid and
fulvic acid to produce chloroform, a known carcinogen.

While chlorine has been in use for several years, this finding led to an assessment by
USEPA to find an alternative disinfectant to treat water and hard surfaces.

As per USEPA studies chlorine dioxide was said to be the safest and best as it had a good
residual presence in the water after dosing. A good residual presence is
required as water stored before supply to the citizen’s should not get
recontaminated.

It was found that chlorine dioxide is ideally suited for this purpose, but there
was a need for equipment that would measure the right amount of chlorine
dioxide getting dosed. The first systems that were developed were fixed dosing
systems. This means that the dosing of 2 chemicals, chlorine dioxide and
activator will have a fixed dose going into the water. There were several
limitations with this type of design, firstly that water consumption and supply
fluctuate and are not constant. Secondly the water supplied and consumed
would have varying levels of contamination.

This led to the development of more sophisticated systems using PLC

(Programmable Logic Controllers) along with ORP Analyzers (Oxidation
Reduction Potential) and / or On-line chlorine dioxide residual measurements.
Additionally a flow meter was also incorporated to measure the flow of water
passing through the pipe. Based on the volume of water having passed a
message is sent to the PLC to have the dosing pumps draw the precursor
chlorine dioxide and activator from the jerry cans and dose them into the
discharge end of the pipe where the water is to be treated. The 2 chemicals
pass through a reaction chamber where the 2 chemicals mix under pressure
and get drawn into the water line due to venturi effect that creates vacuum.

The ORP / On-line Chlorine Dioxide analyzer will measure the electrical
conductivity in the water (ORP) and based on the reading adjust the dose
automatically into the water. When the electrical conductivity of the water is
around 600-800 mV then the water has no presence of contamination. When
the reading drops below this figure it means the water is contaminated and the
dosing pumps are instructed with the help of the PLC to increase the dose of
the chlorine dioxide and activator to that level such that the ORP reading goes
back to the base level of 600-800 mV. Likewise when the contamination in the
water reduces the ORP reading will go above the baseline of 600-800 mV,
wherein the PLC again is instructed to reduce the dose such that the ORP
reading comes back to the baseline of 600-800 mV.

In case of the On-line chlorine dioxide analyzer, this records directly the
residual chlorine dioxide presence in the water. So, by adjusting the residual
chlorine dioxide reading wanted in the water the system adjusts the dosage in
the same manner as in the ORP analyzer system. Here the chlorine dioxide
residual that is to be maintained in the water becomes the baseline around
which the dosage automatically is set. So if the residual drops from the baseline
the PLC is instructed to increase the dosage of the 2 chemicals until the
baseline reading is reached, same would be the case when contamination
drops and the residual increases over the baseline setting where the PLC
commands the dosing pumps to reduce the dosage until the baseline reading
is reached.

Some customers find the need to control the system off-site. In this case the
controller is sitting at his home and the system is in the Hospital or Food
Processing plant. The controller of the system can increase the dosage or
reduce the dosage sitting at home from his home. The system is controlled
through the mobile phone.

Other variants can also be offered such that the system that is located in the
plant room can be controlled from the controller’s office that is based in the
same premises.

Chlorine Dioxide finds applications in Dairy, Aquaculture, Food Processing,

Agriculture, Horticulture, Municipalities, Sugar, Leather, Paper, Textile, General
Industries, Meat Industries, Hotels, Hospitals, Residential Buildings, Bungalows,
Thermal Power plants and in any area that uses water.

Chlorine dioxide is ideally suited in treatment of sewage and effluent

wastewater in the final treatment in place of chlorine to get a better effluent
quality for discharge to garden or drains.
Flow diagram of treatment of water using chlorine dioxide

Chlorine Dioxide Treatment

Primary Treatment

Secondary Treatment

Point of Use

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