The use of sodium chlorite

The main application of sodium chlorite is the generation of chlorine dioxide for bleaching and stripping of textiles, pulp, and paper. It is also used for disinfection of a few municipal water treatment plants after conversion to chlorine dioxide. An advantage in this application, as compared to the more commonly used chlorine, is that trihalomethanes are not produced from organic contaminants.
Sodium chlorite, NaClO2, sometimes in combination with zinc chloride, also finds application as a component in therapeutic rinses, mouthwashes, toothpastes and gels, mouth sprays, as a teat dip for control of mastitis in dairy cattle, and also in contact lens cleaning solution under the trade name Purite. Under the brand name Oxine it is used for sanitizing air ducts and HVAC/R systems and animal containment areas