Chlorites are compounds containing the chlorite anion, with sodium chlorite being the most commonly used. It is used to produce chlorine dioxide, a powerful biocide used in water treatment, sterilization, and bleaching wood pulp. Chlorites are less corrosive and do not leave a taste or smell. Ingestion of large amounts can be toxic, but normal exposure is not harmful. Chlorites must be handled with care due to their oxidizing properties. Chlorites are also a group of mica-like silicate minerals in geology.
In the context of chemistry, chlorites are compounds containing the chlorite anion (ClO2-) and can be thought of as salts of chlorine acid (HClO2). The most commonly used of these is sodium chlorite (NaClO2). When dissolved in water, it forms positively charged sodium cations (Na+) and negatively charged chlorite anions (ClO2-). It is mainly used for the production of chlorine dioxide (ClO2), a yellowish brown, highly reactive gas which is used in the paper industry for bleaching wood pulp, but it is also an extremely effective biocide due to its strong oxidizing properties .
At high concentrations, chlorine dioxide is unstable and can react explosively with organic or combustible materials; it is therefore not normally stored or transported, but instead prepared at its place of use by the reaction of sodium or calcium chlorite with a strong acid. Chlorine dioxide dissolves in water to form chlorous acid, producing chlorite anions which are also powerful oxidizing agents. They are even more effective at killing microorganisms than chlorine, which is why chlorine dioxide and chlorites are often used in water treatment plants to disinfect drinking water. These substances also have the advantage of not leaving a perceptible smell or taste, of not reacting with organic material to produce harmful compounds such as chloroform, and of being less corrosive to the materials used to contain and transport the water. Additionally, chlorite and chlorine dioxide are useful in sterilizing containers and surfaces in hospitals and the food industry, and in water purification for hikers and campers, where a chlorite solution is mixed with an acid just before adding it to the water. waterfall.
Treatment of drinking water with chlorine dioxide leaves small amounts of chlorite ions in the water; however, this is not thought to pose any health risk. Ingestion of relatively large amounts produces toxic effects: for example, it can react with hemoglobin, causing it to release oxygen less rapidly, but there is no clear evidence of adverse health effects from normal exposure. While it is possible for chlorites from water treatment or industrial sources to enter groundwater, due to their reactivity they degrade rapidly and do not accumulate in the environment.
Chlorite salts must be handled with care due to their oxidizing properties. They can form potentially explosive mixtures with other materials and react with acids to produce chlorine dioxide, resulting in a risk of explosion. For most purposes, chlorine dioxide and chlorites are used in very low concentrations
In the context of geology, chlorites are a group of mica-like silicate minerals. Although they do not contain chlorine, the names of both substances derive from the Greek chloros, “green”, due to their usual greenish colour. They vary in composition, but generally contain magnesium, aluminum, and iron, as well as silicon and oxygen, and often form soft, flexible plate-like structures.
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