title: Chlorine dioxide inactivation of bacterial threat agents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of chlorine dioxide (ClO(2)) against seven species of bacterial threat (BT) agents in water.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two strains of Bacillus anthracis spores, Yersinia pestis, Francisella tularensis, Burkholderia pseudomallei, Burkholderia mallei and Brucella species were each inoculated into a ClO(2) solution with an initial concentration of 2.0 (spores only) and 0.25 mg l(-1) (all other bacteria) at pH 7 or 8, 5 or 25°C. At 0.25 mg l(-1) in potable water, six species were inactivated by at least three orders of magnitude within 10 min. Bacillus anthracis spores required up to 7 h at 5°C for the same inactivation with 2.0 mg l(-1) ClO(2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Typical ClO(2) doses used in water treatment facilities would be effective against all bacteria tested except B. anthracis spores that would require up to 7 h with the largest allowable dose of 2 mg l(-1) ClO(2). Other water treatment processes may be required in addition to ClO(2) disinfection for effective spore removal or inactivation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data obtained from this study provide valuable information for water treatment facilities and public health officials in the event that a potable water supply is contaminated with these BT agents.
authors.affiliation: Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. AShams@cdc.gov
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Shams
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Arduino
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Rose
mesh_terms: D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000187:drug effects; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D042726:Burkholderia mallei / Q000187:drug effects; D016957:Burkholderia pseudomallei / Q000187:drug effects; D017606:Chlorine Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D003666:Decontamination / Q000379:methods; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000633:toxicity*; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000187:drug effects; D010087:Oxides / Q000633:toxicity*; D011634:Public Health; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects*; D014871:Water Microbiology; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods; D015010:Yersinia pestis / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D017606:Chlorine Compounds; D004202:Disinfectants; D010087:Oxides; C025109:chlorine dioxide