Re: CULT: OT: clorox - chemistry, horse's mouth

I haven't been following this thread (were there previous postings?)  But
indeed Sodium hypochlorite is the active ingredient in Clorox.  This is a
strong oxidizing agent--very reactive.  A chemist colleague describes the
hypochlorite ion as "nasty stuff."  When used on clothes, it literally
"burns" the stains out, assuming that the stains are of organic material.
It won't harm cotton, linen and other plant-derived fibers because they are
highly unreactive cellulose.  Similarly, wool and silk (bleach not really
recommended for these) are keratinized protien and also unreactive.
Synthetic fibers are usually unreactive.

Clorox works to sterilize wounds in iris rhizomes and destroy bacteria
because the bacteria are "burnt" by the hypochlorite, while intact cells of
rhizomes, made mostly of cellulose, are not attacked by the ion.  Surface
cells of plants (leaf epidermis, etc.) also have a protective wax coating
not touched by hypochlorite ion.  We use dilute Clorox in our labs to
disinfect (not quite sterilize) bench surfaces, etc.

So the action is not so mysterious.  The bacteria that cause rot are
literally destroyed by the hypochlorite.  Most cleansing powders also
contain some hypochlorite or generate it when mixed with water.  However
the action of cleansing powder against rot bacteria is also to produce a
very highly alkaline pH in which bacteria and fungi cannot live.

I've found both Clorox and Comet to be effective, nearly 100%, in treating
soft rot once the rotted material has been cleaned out back to healthy
tissue.

Bill Shear
Department of Biology
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney VA 23943
(804)223-6172
FAX (804)223-6374
email<bills@tiger.hsc.edu>
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