How can chlorine dioxide and chlorite affect my health?
Both chlorine dioxide and chlorite react quickly in water or moist body tissues. Breathing air containing chlorine dioxide gas may cause nose, throat, and lung irritation. Eating or drinking large amounts of chlorite salts may cause irritation in the mouth, esophagus, or stomach. There is no evidence that chlorine dioxide or chlorite affect reproduction in humans. Studies in animals exposed to high amounts of chlorine dioxide or chlorite have shown effects similar to those seen in exposed people.
Both chlorine dioxide and chlorite react quickly in water and moist body tissues. If you were to breathe air containing chlorine dioxide gas, you might experience irritation in your nose, throat, and lungs. If you were to eat or drink large amounts of chlorine dioxide or chlorite, you might experience irritation in the mouth, esophagus, or stomach. Most people will not be exposed to chlorine dioxide or chlorite in amounts large enough to damage other parts of the body, but if you were, you might experience shortness of breath and other respiratory problems because of damage to the substances in blood that carry oxygen throughout the body. Scientists use many tests to protect the public from harmful effects of toxic chemicals and to find ways for treating persons who have been harmed. One way to learn whether a chemical will harm people is to determine how the body absorbs, uses, and releases the chemical. For some chemicals, animal testing may be necessary. Animal testing may also help
