The camping series continues. Previously: octenol, the related octenone, and DEET. Today we move away from insects for the time being, turning our attention to water purification.
Sodium hypochlorite, or NaOCl, is sold as an aqueous solution - laundry bleach. It is also a great disinfectant, and dilute bleach solutions are used by hospitals and IV drug users alike as a disinfectant.
A little bleach will disinfect water, too, but laundry bleach decomposes fairly rapidly (over periods of time as short as months). A shelf-stable source of hypochlorite is Ca(OCl)2 powder, which can be found in water purification solutions, as well as pool chlorinators.
- Log in to post comments
Fascinating. I am learning some very interesting things by following this blog. I had actually wondered about how those purification tablets worked (but was too lazy to look it up). Thanks!
I would have thought it was Ca(ClO)2. Is having O first an acceptable permutation and I've just never heard of it? My high-school chem is failing me!
Is that decomposition the same decomposition that which occurs with Hydrogen peroxide?
magista :
When the molecule or ion is relatively simple that rule doesn't get applied as rigidly, and there are a few that got grandfathered in. Hydroxide should be HO-, but always gets written OH-, and ammonia should be H3N, not NH3.
Here's an article about sodium hypochlorite decomposition.
http://article.pubs.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/ppv/RPViewDoc?issn=1480-3291&volume=…
The main reaction is to disproportionate to chloride and chlorate. There is another reaction to generate oxygen and chloride.
Does "color-safe" bleach (used on colorful clothes in the laundry) have the same disinfectant properties as regular bleach?