Hazards of Spraying Sodium Hypochlorite Solution in Air

HAZARDS OF ARIAL SPRAYING OF SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE:

            For corona virus control, it is observed that Spraying of Sodium Hypochlorite Solution has excessively increased in most parts of the world, including India. We forget the boundaries in over-reaction to the Pandemic. It may please be noted that 1% Solution of Sodium Hypochlorite is recommended For Floor Cleaning, moping and wiping of room floor and walls, Surface Cleaning and wiping equipment surfaces. The Aerial Spray of Sodium Hypochlorite is very harmful and Not Recommended at all. Our Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has issued detailed guidelines for "disinfection of common public places including offices". See the file on MoHFW website: In the entire list of this disinfectant uses, it is Nowhere recommended to spray in the air or on the roads!

            Please see the snapshot of a relevant page in this MoHFW file. where the use of this disinfectant is clearly recommended for indoor places and toilets.

 

Please note the following points: 

(1) Sodium Hypochlorite solution is Unstable: 

It gets quickly decomposed in UV rays of sunlight. So spray in open places has no disinfectant effect after a short time. Most important: Sunlight/UV rays kill the virus in open space, so disinfectant spray is only a psychological satisfaction!

(2) Sodium Hypochlorite solution releases free chlorine, 

This Free Chlorine gas is inhaled by public during the aerial spray. Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) reveals that inhalation of sodium hypochlorite can lead to irritation of mucous membranes to the nose, throat and respiratory tract. So in trying to disinfect the air, we are damaging inner surface of nose, throat and lungs of public exposed to the spray.

(3) Sodium Hypochlorite solution is highly corrosive. 

The Aerial Spray results in settling micro droplets of this highly reactive chemical on vehicles, Solar Panels, steel structure of buildings, etc. It can potentially damage all such metal surfaces and solar panels. So aerial Spray of this disinfectant is doing more harm than any actual benefit.

(4)   Fire Fighting Equipment at Great Risk:

The matter becomes even more serious when we observe that many states in India, including Gujarat, are spraying this highly corrosive chemical through Fire Fighting Equipment, filling up this chemical in mild steel tanks of Fire Tenders! This will surely damage the Fire Fighting System in such a way, that none of the equipment will be serviceable in case of a fire! I fera by now the Fire Dept. must have started observing heavy corrosion in equipment that came into contact of this chemical.

(5) Hazardous Property Warning by The international manufacturers:

Manufacturers of this chemical warn against use of any metal container in direct contact with this chemical with exception of titanium and tantalum, but our fire tenders are made of mild steel.

In the handbook they write: Few materials of construction will withstand the highly reactive nature of sodium hypochlorite. Improper selection of those materials may result in damage to the handling system and contamination of the product. As a general rule, no metals (with the exception of titanium and tantalum under certain circumstances) should be allowed to come in contact with this chemical. [Ref: Sodium Hypochlorite Handbook, by Occidental Chemical Corporation, 14555 Dallas Parkway, Suite 400. Dallas, Texas 75254 USA]

(6) Corrosive Damage to Fire Tenders / Water Tanks:

As a technical person, I can see in a very near future, all the fire-tenders which were used for this disinfectant spray, will face problems like jamming of valves, leakages from weld-joints, and in worst cases, collapse of total container body over a period of time. And this too, for what, just to get a psychological relief that my society is sanitized with disinfectant spray.

(7) What is finally recommended?  

Sodium Hypochlorite, also known as a bleach, provides chlorine gas which actually kills the virus. This Bleach solution is very less stable compared to the Well-known Bleaching Powder, which we so much use as a solid disinfectant. We have to sprinkle the Bleaching Powder at all the open outdoor places doubtful for virus exposure.  This is more effective, and for a longer period, and easy to operate, without risking our valuable firefighting system.