ClO2 disinfectant, sanitiser, algaecide, fungicide and slime inhibitor

Selective Micro Technologies has announced that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has conditionally approved Selectrocide, a chlorine dioxide product, as a disinfectant, sanitiser and algaecide for applications in the horticulture and food processing industries. Announcement of EPA approval follows only two weeks after Selective Micro Technologies announced an allowance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to use its chlorine dioxide product to wash fruits and vegetables.

Selectrocide produces greater than 99% pure chlorine dioxide by simply submersing the product in water. The resulting chlorine dioxide and water solution can be used to kill disease-bearing bacteria, fungi and algae. For the horticulture and food industries, chlorine dioxide has not been available to clean plants, food and equipment because chlorine dioxide could not be produced on site without significant chemical residuals. Selectrocide makes it possible for the first time to generate specific concentrations of chlorine dioxide at the point of use with very low residuals, neutral pH, using only water with no capital equipment.

Selectrocide has demonstrated in field trials the ability to extend the shelf life of processed food while maintaining taste and presentation.

Selectrocide is sold as sachets with reactants contained within proprietary membrane materials. The sachets are immersed into water, producing a greater than 99% pure chlorine dioxide solution, at neutral pH, with virtually no unwanted by-products. Selectrocide makes it possible to generate chlorine dioxide at specific concentrations (from 1 part per million (ppm) to 500 ppm) in specified time periods.

According to the Annual Research Report, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, 1996, "Chlorine dioxide is a powerful biocide that can kill fungus, bacteria and viruses at levels of 0.1 to 1 part per million in contact times of a few minutes." The low levels of chlorine dioxide required to kill microorganisms is in stark contrast to other antimicrobials that require parts per million ranging from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of parts per million in order to be effective. Such high concentrations make the competitive products highly corrosive, dangerous to handle and difficult to rinse. Being highly effective at low concentrations means Selectrocide rinses off food and equipment easily, and has no adverse effect on food flavour.