Sodium chlorite - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sodium chlorite is a chemical compound. Its chemical formula is NaClO₂. It contains sodium and chlorite ions.

Sodium chlorite is a colorless solid. It is a powerful oxidizing agent. It disproportionates sometimes. It forms the unstable chlorous acid when reacted with a strong acid.

It is made by reducing chlorine dioxide in a basic solution of hydrogen peroxide.

Sodium chlorite can be used to disinfect water. Since chlorine dioxide is too reactive to store, sodium chlorite is stored and converted to chlorine dioxide before use. It is also used as a disinfectant. It can be used in oxidation reactions in organic chemistry.

It is similar to chlorates in toxicity. Ingestion of about 10 grams would be fatal. A smaller amount could make someone very sick.

• Sodium hypochlorite
• Sodium chlorate