China, Germany, and the United States are the leading exporters of chlorine dioxide, collectively accounting for over 60% of global export value in 2023–2024, while the United States, Canada, and South Korea remain the largest importers. Trade volumes have remained relatively stable since 2022, with modest growth in demand from water treatment sectors in North America and East Asia, coinciding with moderate upward pressure on chlorine dioxide prices.
Chlorine dioxide is a yellowish-green to reddish-yellow gas at room temperature, with a sharp, chlorine-like odor; it is highly volatile and typically handled as an aqueous solution due to its instability in concentrated gaseous form. It is an inorganic oxidizing compound, not classified as organic or aromatic. Chlorine dioxide is primarily used for disinfection and bleaching in water treatment, pulp and paper manufacturing, and food processing. Its strong, selective oxidative properties make it valuable for microbial control without forming significant halogenated by-products. It serves as a key biocide in municipal and industrial water systems and as a bleaching agent for cellulose-based materials.
Wood-pulp bleaching is the largest use of chlorine dioxide, which is a uniquely selective oxidizer for lignin. In general, the trend in the pulp industry has been to eliminate chlorine and hypochochlorite as bleaching agents and replace them with chlorine dioxide. Since chlorine dioxide functions via an oxidative reaction rather than a chlorinating reaction, the formation of chlorinated organic compounds is limited. Also, unlike other oxidizing agents, chlorine dioxide does not attack cellulose, and thus preserves the mechanical properties of bleached pulp. In the final stages of the pulp-bleaching processes, chlorine dioxide is the most frequently used bleaching chemical. A unique whiteness can be achieved using chlorine dioxide in kraft pulp, sulfite pulp, and soda pulp processes. In the United States, the firststage of the pulp-bleaching process makes use of mixtures of chlorine and chlorine dioxide to reduce the formation of organic chlorine compounds (EPA 2002c; Kaczur and Cawlfield 1993; Vogt et al. 1986).In the textile industry, chlorine dioxide is used as a bleaching agent and produces high-quality textile fibers with additional qualities. For example, “shrinkproof” wool owes its qualities to the reaction of chlorine dioxide with the cross-linking sulfur atoms of the wool.
Chlorine dioxide,CI02, is a yellow-reddish gas.It is a very effective bleaching and water treatment agent. Chlorine dioxide is preparedby the reaction of chlorine and sodium chlorite. It is quite unstable and is commonly prepared immediately before use.
This chemical is included in Fine Chemicals. See more about what is Chlorine dioxide and Chlorine dioxide SDS information.
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