Sodium chlorite

Structural formula
Structure with lone pairs of electrons
General
Surname	Sodium chlorite
Molecular formula	NaClO 2
Brief description	odorless, white powder
External identifiers / databases
CAS number 7758-19-2 EC number 231-836-6 ECHA InfoCard 100,028,942 PubChem 23668197 Wikidata Q411294
properties
Molar mass	90.44 g mol −1
Physical state	firmly
density	2.43 g cm −3 (20 ° C)
Melting point	Decomposes at 180-200 ° C
solubility	good in water (572 g l −1 at 20 ° C)
safety instructions
GHS labeling of hazardous substances danger H and P phrases H: 271-301-310-314-373-410 EUH: 032-071 P: 210-280-301 + 330 + 331-310-303 + 361 + 353-305 + 351 + 338-370 + 378
Toxicological data	165 mg kg −1 ( LD 50 ,  rat ,  oral )
As far as possible and customary, SI units are used. Unless otherwise noted, the data given apply to standard conditions .

Sodium chlorite with the empirical formula NaClO ₂ - not to be confused with the common salt sodium chloride (NaCl) - is the sodium salt of chlorous acid . Its main application, in addition to its direct use as an oxidizing agent, is the production of chlorine dioxide , as it is too unstable for transport and storage. It is the agent of choice for the production of chlorine dioxide for the disinfection of water . For the other main application of chlorine dioxide, pulp bleaching or paper production, it is generally too expensive, but it is produced there during the bleaching process.

Extraction and presentation

Sodium chlorite can be obtained from the reaction of chlorine dioxide with sodium hydroxide solution . For this purpose, the gaseous chlorine compound is introduced into the lye. A mixture of sodium chlorite and sodium chlorate is obtained as the product .

${\displaystyle \mathrm {2\ ClO_{2}+2\ NaOH\ \longrightarrow \ NaClO_{2}+NaClO_{3}+H_{2}O} }$

Pure sodium chlorite can be obtained by adding hydrogen peroxide .

${\displaystyle \mathrm {2\ ClO_{2}+2\ NaOH+H_{2}O_{2}\ \longrightarrow \ 2\ NaClO_{2}+O_{2}+2\ H_{2}O} }$

Barium chlorite is also first produced in the laboratory :

${\displaystyle \mathrm {2\ ClO_{2}+Ba(OH)_{2}\cdot 8\ H_{2}O+H_{2}O_{2}\ \longrightarrow \ } }$ ${\displaystyle \mathrm {Ba(ClO_{2})_{2}+O_{2}+10\ H_{2}O} }$

${\displaystyle \mathrm {Ba(ClO_{2})_{2}+Na_{2}SO_{4}\cdot 10\ H_{2}O\ \longrightarrow \ } }$ ${\displaystyle \mathrm {2\ NaClO_{2}\cdot 3\ H_{2}O+BaSO_{4}+4\ H_{2}O} }$

properties

Anhydrous sodium chlorite (NaClO ₂ ) crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system in space group I 2 / a (space group no. 15, position 3) with the lattice parameters a  = 645.6  pm , b  = 644.2 pm, c  = 681.3 pm and β  = 120.6 °. In the unit cell contains four formula units . The trihydrate (NaClO ₂  · 3 H ₂ O) crystallizes in the triclinic space group P 1 (No. 2) with the lattice parameters a  = 696.0 pm, b  = 884.2 pm, c  = 550.4 pm, α  = 92 , 36 °, β  = 119.09 ° and γ  = 104.73 ° as well as two formula units per unit cell.

use

Bleaches and disinfectants

The main area of ​​application for sodium chlorite is the production of chlorine dioxide , a bleaching agent for textiles and paper . It is also used to disinfect water in water treatment plants. Sodium chlorite is also found in low concentrations in cleaning agents for contact lenses . In the context of TTIP and poultry meat exports from the USA, it was discussed whether it may be used in the EU as a decontamination agent for poultry meat if it is rinsed off without residue.

Medical use

Medically, a compound that is formed from sodium chlorite and sodium hypochlorite and is known as a "reaction product" is used externally in the form of a highly diluted aqueous solution to treat wounds and wound healing disorders. The effectiveness of this substance, which is said to have the structure of tetrachlorodecaoxide , is considered controversial.

Sodium chlorite disrupts the function of macrophages , which form part of the immune system and are involved in inflammatory processes. It is believed that the rare disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is associated with overactivation of macrophages, creating high levels of cytokines , which are responsible for damage to nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. In the USA and in the EU, sodium chlorite for the treatment of ALS has the status of an orphan drug , which results in benefits for pharmaceutical companies in terms of drug approval .

Misuse

A toxic solution of 28% sodium chlorite and a 10% “activator” citric acid solution is sold under the name Miracle Mineral Supplement or Master Mineral Solution ( MMS ) . The name was first coined by American engineer Jim Humble in his self-published book The Miracle Mineral Solution of the 21st Century . MMS is falsely and dangerously marketed as a miracle drug for various applications: For example as a dietary supplement and alternative antibiotic with preventive or even healing effects against pathogens (e.g. malaria ) to the treatment of cancer , AIDS , autism and dementia . By enemas affected should of "MMS rope worms can be freed." However, there is no serious scientific evidence of the existence of rope worms. In these controversial therapeutic methods, sodium chlorite solution is administered, in which the highly reactive, toxic chlorine dioxide is released by adding citric acid , which is normally used for disinfection purposes or for bleaching.

Treatment with MMS is classified as quackery . Several health authorities have since warned against MMS and in some cases have also taken specific measures to protect consumers. In 2009, in the Australian state of Queensland, the Brisbane Supreme Court banned a lay healer from promising cure and from administering unauthorized drugs after giving MMS intravenously to cancer patients in her garage . In Canada, MMS was banned and warned against ingestion by Health Canada in May 2010 . The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned several times against taking MMS on the grounds that the agent contained industrial bleach and could cause considerable damage to health, and numerous reports of damage to the health of MMS customers had already reached the agency . The British Food Standards Agency also warns against MMS .

In October 2010, the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products, Swissmedic, published a message entitled "Warning of the 'miracle drug' Miracle Mineral Supplements (MMS)", which in turn was based on a warning from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) and the French authorities Institut de veille sanitaire (InVS) and Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des produits de santé (Afssaps). At this point in time, multiple cases of poisoning had been observed in France after taking MMS as a solution minérale miracle .

In Germany at the end of 2010, the public prosecutor's office in Upper Bavaria was investigating a doctor who had sold MMS to his patients. He was convicted in 2012. In 2017 , the Hildesheim Regional Court sentenced one of two brothers who had sold MMS and MMS2 (a variant with 70% calcium hypochlorite in capsules) from December 2008 to July 2014 with proceeds of almost 350,000 euros to three years in prison. A revision was rejected by the Federal Court of Justice in 2019 .

In July 2012, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) issued a warning by urgently advising against taking and using it. Due to the widespread advertising, the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) felt compelled at the end of May 2014 to point out the lack of approval as a drug and the associated dangers. The consumer advice center also warns against taking it because of a considerable health risk. The use of MMS can lead to considerable problems, in addition to nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, in more severe cases, damage to the red blood cells , life-threatening dehydration and kidney failure. One death has been reported within 12 hours of taking MMS, and other deaths - also documented by the FDA - have been reported.

On February 26, 2015, the BfArM classified the MMS and MMS2 preparations from Luxusline Ltd. as subject to authorization . Medicinal products that are subject to authorization may only be brought onto the market if the pharmaceutical company has demonstrated efficacy, quality and harmlessness to the authorities. The BfArM also assessed the two agents as questionable: There is a “reasonable suspicion” that they “have harmful effects that go beyond an acceptable level when used as intended”. The BfArM confirmed its critical attitude towards "Miracle Mineral Supplement" products. MMS2 is even more dangerous than MMS because the stomach acid releases chlorine gas . This then often leads to burns of the esophagus .

Safety instructions / risk assessment

A 25% solution of sodium chlorite is harmful if swallowed. When exposed to acids, very toxic gases are released. There is a risk of serious eye damage. The solid has a poisonous effect and a fire hazard when it comes into contact with combustible substances. It also causes chemical burns. In non-stabilized powder form, sodium chlorite is very toxic. It causes eye burns and skin burns with redness and pain. It can be harmful if absorbed through the skin. It also causes burns to the gastrointestinal tract and can cause nausea and vomiting. Inhaling vapors causes coughing and breathing difficulties, can burn the respiratory tract and can also be fatal.

In 2019, sodium chlorite was included in the EU's ongoing action plan ( CoRAP ) in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 (REACH) as part of substance evaluation . The effects of the substance on human health and the environment are re-evaluated and, if necessary, follow-up measures are initiated. The causes of the uptake of sodium chlorite were concerns about exposure of workers and widespread use as well as the possible dangers of mutagenic and reproductive properties. The re-evaluation has been running since 2019 and is carried out by Hungary .

Web links

Wiktionary: sodium chlorite  - explanations of meanings, origins of words, synonyms, translations

• US EPA - Integrated Risk Information System: Chlorite sodium salt

For improper use (MMS)

• Kelley L. Harrison and Thomas Zane: Focus on science: Is there science behind that? Bleach therapy. In: Science in Autism Treatment (Ed.): Association for Science in Autism Treatment . tape 14 , no. 1 , 2017, p. 18–24 (English, asatonline.org [PDF]).
• Christoph Rosenthal and Caroline Walter: Dangerous quacks - How the state fails to protect patients. In: Contrasts . April 5, 2018, accessed May 15, 2020 . 
• Bernd Kerschner and Jörg Wipplinger: MMS: The dangerous miracle drug. In: Medicine transparent . February 26, 2020, accessed March 25, 2020 . 

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Entry on sodium chlorite in the GESTIS substance database of the IFA , accessed on January 10, 2017(JavaScript required) .
2. ^ ^{A b c} A. F. Holleman , E. Wiberg , N. Wiberg : Textbook of Inorganic Chemistry . 101st edition. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin 1995, ISBN 3-11-012641-9 , p. 477.
3. ↑ G. Brauer (Ed.): Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry. 2nd ed. Volume 1, Academic Press 1963, p. 312.
4. ↑ Ç. Tarimci, RD Rosenstein, E. Schempp: Anhydrous sodium chlorite . In: Acta Crystallographica Section B Structural Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry . tape 32 , no. 2 , February 15, 1976, p. 610-612 , doi : 10.1107 / S0567740876003531 .
5. ↑ V. Tazzoli, V. Riganti, G. Giuseppetti, A. Coda: The crystal structure of sodium chlorite trihydrate, NaClO ₂  · 3 H ₂ O . In: Acta Crystallographica Section B Structural Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry . tape 31 , no. 4 , April 15, 1975, pp. 1032-1037 , doi : 10.1107 / S056774087500444X .
6. ↑ Federal Institute for Risk Assessment : Requirements for the chemical decontamination of poultry meat (PDF; 90 kB)
7. ↑ technical information Oxovasin. As of April 2010.
8. ↑ Oxoferin to accelerate wound healing: BGA approval for controversial active ingredient. In: arznei-telegramm , edition 6/1990, p. 52.
9. ↑ EU / 3/13/1139 Public summary of opinion on orphan designation: Sodium chlorite for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. European Medicines Agency , September 9, 2013, accessed March 29, 2016 . 
10. ↑ FDA - Orphan Drug Designations and Approvals: sodium chlorite ( Memento of the original from June 22, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
11. ^ European Commission - Community register of orphan medicinal products: Sodium chlorite
12. ↑ ^{a b c} Miracle Mineral Supplement (MMS): Considerable health hazard. In: consumer advice center . August 16, 2019, accessed March 25, 2020 . 
13. ↑ ^{a b c d} Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices classifies two “Miracle Mineral Supplement” products as requiring approval and as questionable. Press release 3/15. In: BfArM. February 26, 2015, accessed March 25, 2020 . 
14. ↑ Nicola Kuhrt: Dangerous "miracle cure" MMS: When quacks advertise poisonous chlorine bleach. In: Spiegel Online . May 4, 2014, accessed March 27, 2016 . 
15. ↑ Who will stop the business with the dangerous "miracle drug" MMS? In: rbb-online.de. May 4, 2013, accessed March 27, 2016 . 
16. ↑ Refreshed - Miracle Mineral Supplement . In: Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft für Independent Gesundheitsinformation mbH (Hrsg.): Good pills - bad pills . No. 05 (Sept./Oct.), 2010, pp. 6 ( gutepillen-schlechtepillen.de [accessed on March 25, 2014]).
17. ↑ Press release of the Queensland Minister for Tourism and Fair Trading: Unregistered health provider ordered to stop misleading cancer patients.
18. ^ Health Canada: Health Risks Associated with Use of Miracle Mineral Solution. dated May 12, 2010.
19. ↑ Health Canada seizes dangerous health products from online retailer. In: Health Canada. April 8, 2015, accessed May 14, 2020 . 
20. ↑ FDA: FDA Warns Consumers of Serious Harm from Drinking Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS) of July 30, 2010.
21. ↑ FDA warns consumers about the dangerous and potentially life threatening side effects of Miracle Mineral Solution. In: FDA. March 24, 2020, accessed on April 29, 2020 . 
22. ^ Danger: Don't Drink Miracle Mineral Solution or Similar Products . In: FDA . February 12, 2020 ( fda.gov [accessed April 29, 2020]).
23. ^ Miracle Mineral Solution and Sodium chlorite solutions. In: Food Standards Agency. December 27, 2017, accessed May 14, 2020 . 
24. ↑ swissmedic - Schweizerisches Heilmittelinstitut - Warning about the so-called miracle drug “Miracle Mineral Supplements (MMS)” ( Memento of the original from May 19, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . 
25. ↑ //de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Defekte_Weblinks&dwl= http://www.bag.admin.ch/themen/lebensmittel/04861/11249/index.html?lang=de Page not more available ] , search in web archives: [ http://timetravel.mementoweb.org/list/2010/http://www.bag.admin.ch/themen/lebensmittel/04861/11249/index.html?lang=de Federal Office of Public Health - Miracle Mineral Supplement (MMS).
26. ↑ Mise en garde sur les risques liés à la consommation du produit dénommé Solution minérale miracle (MMS1). dated October 5, 2010.
27. ↑ tz.de : Chlorine cleaner sold as a miracle medicine: raid on a Munich doctor. December 27, 2010
28. ^ Prohibited "miracle drug MMS": doctor condemned . In: https://www.merkur.de . February 12, 2012 ( merkur.de [accessed on August 14, 2018]).
29. ↑ ^{a b} Hinnerk Feldwisch-Drentrup: Three years imprisonment for the seller of the "miracle drug" MMS . In: DAZ.online . November 1, 2017 ( deutsche-apotheker-zeitung.de [accessed on August 14, 2018]).
30. ↑ ^{a b} Hinnerk Feldwisch-Drentrup: Federal Court of Justice confirms prison sentence for MMS seller. In: MedWatch . July 23, 2019, accessed March 25, 2020 . 
31. ↑ BfR advises against taking the product “Miracle Mineral Supplement” (“MMS”) (PDF; 32 kB), dated July 2, 2012.
32. ↑ BfArM warns against the use of "Miracle Mineral Supplement" as a medicinal product. Press release number 08/14. In: BfArM. May 30, 2014, accessed March 25, 2020 . 
33. ↑ Warning against miracle drug MIRACLE MINERAL SUPPLEMENT (MMS) . ( arznei-telegramm.de [accessed on October 5, 2018]).
34. ↑ What is MMS? In: Courier . August 13, 2017, accessed March 24, 2020 . 
35. ↑ Christoph Rosenthal and Caroline Walter: How the state fails when it comes to patient protection. In: Contrasts . April 5, 2018, accessed March 24, 2020 . 
36. ↑ Sodium chlorite data sheet (PDF) from Merck , accessed on February 24, 2010.
37. ↑ Sodium chlorite data sheet (PDF) from Carl Roth , accessed on February 24, 2010.
38. ↑ Sodium chlorite data sheet at Acros, accessed on February 24, 2010.
39. ↑ Community rolling action plan ( CoRAP ) of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA): Sodium chlorite , accessed on March 26, 2019.