The US Centers for Disease Control CDC has estimated that 23% of Legionella infections originate in hospitals and healthcare facilities. Most of these are attributed to contamination of hospital water systems. Other waterborne pathogens that colonize hospital water pipes and cause infection include pseudomonas aureginosa, aspergillus and actinomycetes.
Chorine dioxide is effective for treating hospital water supplies to eliminate pathogenic contamination associated with hospital-originated waterborne infections.
Chlorine dioxide effectively removes Legionella and other disease causing species from hospital water supplies, at dosages that maintain residual levels of chlorine dioxide and chlorite below EPA limits without any increase in the corrosion of copper pipes.
Chlorine dioxide is used to treat cooling water to control algal growth, bacteria (e.g., Legionella) and eliminate biofilm, which helps to maintain the efficiency of heat exchangers, avoid fouling and prevent corrosion. In most applications, high-purity chlorine dioxide is much less corrosive than chlorine.
High-purity chlorine dioxide is stable and effective across a broad pH range; it is fully compatible with most water treatment chemistry used in industrial cooling water applications.
Chlorine dioxide solutions are used in hospitals and healthcare facilities to decontaminate hard surfaces. High-purity chlorine dioxide gas is used in hospital laboratories to decontaminate bio-enclosures, such as bio-safety cabinets.
Before handling any chemical, persons are advised to acquire training in the handling and use of such materials, and to become fully familiar with applicable Material Safety Data Sheets and operating manuals.
In the United States, the use of chlorine dioxide is for many purposes regulated by agencies of the Federal Government, especially: EPA, FDA, OSHA. The transportation of chemicals is regulated by DOT. State and local regulatory agencies may also have jurisdiction. Before chlorine dioxide is used for any purpose, the user should become fully informed about any and all applicable governmental rules, regulations and codes.