Sodium hypochlorite (bleach)

Sodium hypochlorite is widely used in the home and industry for applications such as hard surface cleaning, laundry bleaching, and swimming pool, toilet bowl water cleaning and wastewater disinfection. It is also used as a cleaning and disinfection agent in food processing and preparation.

Olin Chlor Alkali Products has registered several strengths of sodium hypochlorite with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use as a sanitizer and disinfectant. Anyone using this product for their own sanitizing or disinfectant applications, at concentrations other than those approved, or with any other component added, must obtain their own EPA registrations.

Recently, the US EPA has promulgated new regulations that could impact the use of sodium hypochlorite in the drinking water treatment.

In metal processing operations, such as plating, sodium hypochlorite is used to treat cyanide wastes. Such treatment is a convenient, satisfactory method of neutralizing and destroying most of these wastes.

Storage and handling
In applications requiring small packaging, sodium hypochlorite solution should be stored and shipped in suitable plastic containers. Storage stability is greatly affected by light, heat, pH and the presence of certain heavy metal cations. Colored or opaque plastic bottles will increase stability.

The temperature of any storage or shipping area should not exceed 29° C (85° F); preferably, it should stay below 24° C (75° F). Avoid contamination of these solutions with heavy metal cations such as nickel or cobalt and keep solution pH above 11.5.

Sodium hypochlorite solution is a strong oxidizer and can be a moderate fire hazard because of chemical reactions with reducing agents. It is particularly dangerous when heated, or comes into contact with an acid or acid fumes because it can emit toxic chlorine fumes.

Olin Chlor Alkali Products, 490 Stuart Road Northeast, Cleveland, TN 37312. Tel: 423-336-4070; Fax: 423-336-4830.