What are chlorine dioxide and chlorite?
Chlorine dioxide is a yellow to reddish-yellow manufactured gas. It does not occur naturally in the environment. When added to water, chlorine dioxide forms chlorite ion, which is also a very reactive chemical. Chlorine dioxide is used as a bleaching agent at paper manufacturing plants, and in public water treatment facilities to make water safe to drink. In 2001, chlorine dioxide and chlorite were used to decontaminate a number of public buildings following the release of anthrax spores in the United States.
