Recently, more and more people have begun to pay attention to drinking water safety, especially the problem of heavy metal pollution. Have you ever thought that the water you drink every day may contain harmful substances such as mercury, lead, and cadmium? Don't worry, today we will talk about the role of chlorine dioxide disinfectant in dealing with heavy metal pollution and see if it is reliable.
1. How terrible is it to have excessive heavy metals?

First of all, we need to know how harmful heavy metal pollution is.
Mercury - This is extremely toxic and enters the human body mainly through drinking water or breathing. If you drink water containing excessive mercury for a long time, mercury will accumulate in the brain and kidneys, leading to memory loss, insomnia, headaches, and even serious mercury poisoning encephalopathy.
Lead is particularly harmful to children because their bodies can more easily absorb lead. Long-term drinking of water with excessive lead may lead to mental retardation, ADHD and other problems. Adults may also experience symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, neurasthenia, and in severe cases, damage to the nerves and kidneys.
Cadmium - mainly damages the kidneys. Long-term intake may lead to kidney failure. It also affects bone health, causing osteoporosis and even bone deformation.
Once these heavy metals exceed the standard, the harm to health is no joke.
2. Can chlorine dioxide disinfectant remove heavy metals?
Since heavy metals are so terrible, is there any way to solve it? Chlorine dioxide disinfectant is a popular choice, but can it really deal with heavy metals?
Good news : Chlorine dioxide is very effective in removing iron and manganese . It is a strong oxidant that can oxidize divalent iron (Fe² ⁺ ) in water into trivalent iron (Fe³ ⁺ ) and divalent manganese (Mn² ⁺ ) into tetravalent manganese (Mn ⁴ ⁺ ). These high-valent metal ions will form a precipitate and can be easily removed by filtering.
The bad news : Chlorine dioxide has limited effects on heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and cadmium . Because their chemical properties are different from those of iron and manganese, it is difficult for chlorine dioxide to directly react with them and precipitate them. However, chlorine dioxide is not completely useless. It can reduce cyanide (a highly toxic substance) into harmless substances and reduce toxicity.
3. How does chlorine dioxide indirectly help remove heavy metals?

Although chlorine dioxide cannot directly remove all heavy metals, it can still play some indirect roles in the drinking water treatment process:
1.Oxidation of organic matter - Organic matter in water often combines with heavy metals to form complexes that are difficult to remove. Chlorine dioxide can oxidize and decompose these organic matter, reducing the "protective layer" of heavy metals, making it easier for other treatment processes to remove them.
2.Sterilization and disinfection - Chlorine dioxide can effectively kill bacteria, viruses and parasites, and destroy the biofilm formed by microorganisms. These biofilms will absorb heavy metals, and after killing the microorganisms, the concentration of heavy metals will also be reduced.
3.Collaboration with other processes - Chlorine dioxide is not usually used alone, but in combination with other water treatment technologies, such as:
Coagulation and sedimentation : Chlorine dioxide enhances the effect of coagulants, making heavy metals easier to precipitate.
Ion exchange : Chlorine dioxide changes the valence state of heavy metals, making it easier for ion exchange resins to adsorb them.
Membrane filtration : Chlorine dioxide prevents the growth of microorganisms on the filter membrane and improves filtration efficiency.
4.Improve water quality - Chlorine dioxide can also oxidize organic matter in water, reduce odor and color, and make water cleaner. At the same time, the acidic substances it decomposes can adjust the pH value of water, making it easier for heavy metals to precipitate.
4. Conclusion: Chlorine dioxide is not a panacea, but it can help
In general, chlorine dioxide disinfectants are very effective in removing iron and manganese , but their direct removal ability for heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and cadmium is limited. However, it can indirectly improve the removal efficiency of heavy metals through oxidation, sterilization, and coordination with other processes.
If your drinking water is contaminated with multiple heavy metals, chlorine dioxide alone is not enough. It must be combined with coagulation sedimentation, ion exchange, membrane filtration and other technologies to ensure water safety.
Tip : If you are concerned about the quality of your tap water, you can install a water purifier or test the water quality regularly to ensure the safety of your drinking water.