Sodium chlorite

Sodium chlorite is an inorganic salt with formula NaClO₂, composed of sodium ions and chlorite ions. It is used chiefly to produce chlorine dioxide and as a bleaching agent.

Chlorine dioxide: Chlorine dioxide is a reactive chlorine oxide used as a disinfectant and bleaching agent. Acidification or oxidation of sodium chlorite can generate this useful oxidant.
Pulp bleaching: Pulp bleaching removes or modifies residual lignin and colored compounds in wood pulp to produce brighter fibers. Sodium chlorite can supply chlorine dioxide for bleaching pulp.
Sodium: Sodium is a soft, highly reactive alkali metal with chemical symbol Na and atomic number 11. Sodium forms the positively charged ion in sodium chlorite.
Sodium hypochlorite: Sodium hypochlorite is an inorganic salt with formula NaClO, widely used in household bleach and disinfection. It is a familiar chlorine-based bleach, but contains hypochlorite rather than chlorite.
Chlorite: Chlorite is the polyatomic ion ClO₂⁻, in which chlorine has oxidation state +3. This anion is the reactive part of sodium chlorite.
Textile bleaching: Textile bleaching chemically removes natural or added color from fibers and fabrics. Sodium chlorite has been used to bleach textiles, including delicate fibers.
Chlorine: Chlorine is a reactive halogen with chemical symbol Cl and atomic number 17. Chlorine is the central element in the chlorite ion.
Sodium chlorate: Sodium chlorate is an inorganic salt with formula NaClO₃, used in pulp bleaching and chemical production. Its chlorate ion has chlorine in a higher oxidation state than chlorite.
Acidification: Acidification is the lowering of a solution’s pH by adding an acid or generating hydrogen ions. Acidic conditions help convert chlorite into chlorine dioxide.
Water treatment: Water treatment uses physical, chemical, or biological processes to make water suitable for a particular use. Chlorine dioxide made from chlorite is used to disinfect some water supplies.

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