Chlorine dioxide (chemical formula ClO₂, molecular weight 68) is known to be a unique and effective oxidizer and biocide. When Chlorine Dioxide is dissolved in water, unlike chlorine or bromine, it does not dissociate into ions. Instead, it remains as a non-ionic species. This property is responsible for many of its practical uses as an oxidizer and biocide, such as biofilm removal.

In addition, the unique mechanism by which it destroys microorganisms allows it to produce desirable results at over five times lower concentrations than chlorine. For example, the US EPA equates 4mg/l of chlorine with 0.8 mg/l of Chlorine Dioxide. However, in practice, dosage concentrations of 0.2 – 0.4 mg/l are effectively applied in disinfection applications, such as in biofilm destruction and Legionella control.

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