Effect of oral administration of chlorine dioxide on hematological, physiological parameters and intestinal...

Chlorine dioxide (CD) is a broad-spectrum disinfectant agent used to disinfect food products and, more recently, to treat diseases such as avian influenza and COVID-19 due to its potent antimicrobial properties. However, excessive use of chlorine dioxide can cause adverse health effects. While numerous in vivo studies have evaluated its toxicity CD's toxicity, few have investigated its impact on the intestinal microbiota. This study assesses the effects of oral administration of CD on hematological and physiological parameters, and the intestinal microbiota in a murine model. CD was produced at a concentration of 16578.62 mg/L after 7 days of reaction. Results showed a significant antimicrobial effect on dietary yeasts compared to probiotics. There were significant changes in the percentages of Firmicutes (CD 81.9-87.1%, control 63.05%) and Bacteroidetes (DC 3.4-4.5%, control 22.5%) in the CD administered groups compared to the control group. CD exposure showed toxicity in hematological parameters. Additionally, consuming CD for 90 days at 10 mg/kg body weight caused colon and cecum damage and decreased the rats' weight. These findings indicate than even low doses of CD can negative effect on the microbiota, the morphology of the cecum and colon, and body weight, suggesting that prolonged consumption should be avoided.