[Safety conditions for working with stabilized chlorine dioxide used for disinfection]

Disinfectants called by producers stabilized chlorine dioxide (ClO2) are most often composed of sodium carbonate aqueous solution and ClO2. Stability is due to sodium chlorate which is produced under these conditions. Solutions of active ClO2 obtained through acidification of the preparation with citric acid and an appropriate water dilution are used in disinfection. Then, free ClO2 becomes an active disinfecting factor--a gas of strong irritative properties. During a disinfecting process the gas is liberated from the solution due to pulverization and dryness of disinfected objects. The study indicated that the safety of work with disinfectants requires mechanical ventilation of working premises. The transformation of stabile ClO2 into an active form should be induced by adding an appropriate volume of the stabilising preparation to citric acid solution. Such a procedure assures that a maximum of gaseous ClO2 will be retained in water.