New disinfectant... samples are available

Ethan,
I am not telling you anything you don’t already know, but this is what I use to explain the difference between Oxine WT (CLo2 chlorine dioxide) and regular chlorine (Cl2)…

While chlorine dioxide has “chlorine” in its name, its chemistry is radically different from that of chlorine.

As we all learned in high school chemistry, we can mix two compounds and create a third that bears little resemblance to its parents. For instance, by mixing two parts of hydrogen gas with one of oxygen - liquid water is formed. We should not be misled by the fact that chlorine and chlorine dioxide share a word in common. The chemistries of the two compounds are completely different.

Chlorine and chlorine dioxide are both oxidizing agents (electron receivers). However, chlorine has the capacity to take in two electrons, whereas chlorine dioxide can absorb five. This means that STANDARD ClO2 is 2.6 times more effective than chlorine.

Bar Cl2 Clo2 Comparison

If equal, if not greater importance is the fact that chlorine dioxide will not react with many organic compounds, and as a result ClO2 does not produce environmentally dangerous chlorinated organics. For example; aromatic compounds have carbon atoms arranged in rings and they may have other atoms, such as chlorine, attached to these rings, to form a chlorinated aromatic - a highly toxic compound that persists in the environment long after it is produced.

Chlorine dioxide’s behavior as an oxidizing agent is quite dissimilar. Like ozone, the predominant oxidation reaction mechanism for chlorine dioxide proceeds through a process known as free radical electrophilic (i.e. electron-attracting) abstraction rather than by oxidation substitution or addition (as in chlorinating agents such as chlorine or hypochlorite). This means that chlorinated organic compounds such as THMs and HAAs are not produced as a result of disinfection using chlorine dioxide.

Tom

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Nice and visual. Perfect.

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I’m interested in trying some for my shipping container grow rooms.

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DISCLAIMER: I do not have an interest in any commercial products, but have a 35 year history for using various products and researching their effectiveness in food processing. As part of this discussion I would like to contribute some observations of 30+ years of using and R & D of sanitizers and cleaning compounds.

ClO2 is the most dangerous sanitizer to store and use when compared to Para acetic acid, Quaternary Ammonium, Chlorine or Ozone. I can say this as I worked at the largest winery in the world and we stopped using it in 2012 after serious injuries during its use and storage and contamination of food products.

General uses of cleaners:
Ozone for sanitizing containers and general washdown of porous surfaces.

Step 1 is to Clean the surface by removing Organic debris, dirt and biologicals with a strong’ Basic’ cleaner (pH - 12-14) with heat and/or mechanical action if possible. note*: if pH drops below 8, the cleaning effectiveness of the solution ends and a new solution must introduced, also surfactants and emulsifiers should be present to suspend and carry away contaminates. The active ingredient should be KOH and the format should be form of a [conc] liquid NOT powdered for safety and storage.

PAA, Cl2, O3, ClO2 and QA do not ‘clean’ surfaces, they are for sanitation only (they only destroy biologicals).

Step 2 is a quick rinse with filtered water (no need to sterilize it). Use 4x volume of cleaner volume.

Step 3 is the neutralization of the Base with an acid, filtered white vinegar is the cheapest and safest, followed by Tartaric acid (granulated form). Note: do not use citric acid, although cheaper, it is a part of the Krebs cycle and is counterproductive.

Step 4 is a quick rinse with filtered water (again no need to sterilize it). Use 2x volume of acid volume.

Step 5 is the disinfectant treatment (sterilization of system). Any of the above compounds will work, but my preference is to use PAA, rinse 2x volume w/ sterile H2O followed by QA (which is food safe) and NO rinse. Before refilling reservoir with nutrient solution rinse system w/ sterile H2O for 3 minutes. DNA test strips will confirm sanitation success or you can plate and wait !

SAFETY: never enter a confined space without stand by personal (any reservoir can be a confined space per CALOSHA) and always wear PPEs (respirator, eye protection, gloves and protective clothing rated for the chemicals you are using. Always have MSDS sheets for all chemicals used and training is mandated for their use.

ENVIRONMENTAL: disposal of used solutions and best handled by flushing all steps to a temporary storage reservoir and this will allow for neutralizations of acid / bases and dilute them to acceptable levels. This can be drained to a septic system or public sewer system. Do not use for irrigation due to salt content and possible reduction of PGRs in soil.

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Growers store and handle some of the most dangerous thing on site.

Every grower keeps an MSDS book and generally meets with the fire department once or twice a year.

I would rather have chlorine in this form than tanks of chlorine gas in my grow.

All chemical must be handled with the greatest of care. We only get one life, unless you believe in reincarnation.

The point is we know about handling hazardous chemicals.

What we need to learn is more about food safety.

From the voices in my head.
Ethan

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Ethan,
see the attached MSDS MSDS Oxine.pdf (46.7 KB)
As well as the OMRI certificate.
OMRI Cert.pdf (386.0 KB)
As disinfectants go, Clo2 is a very safe product when used and stored as per manufacturers recommendations.
It is also one of the least corrosive products out there.

Thanks much,

Tom

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@omykiss1953,

I do not have any conflicts of interest. I receive no financial benefits from any company who product I like. I am just a retired floriculturist and computer science guy.

I just think this product used as designed would help growers be better growers. Water dilivery and labor are two large line items for growers.

If I can clean up my water dilivery to plants and reduce labor by not cleaning and replacing irrigation parts. I see a win win situation. If I have waist in a grow, it comes from hand watering. Hand watering waist water, creates a potential for source pollutants, and cost a fortune. I want to use full time staff doing the things people do well and they most enjoy.

My only conflicts come on the holdings side. Microsoft, Apple, AON and a very large manage IRA at fidelity. I do not pick individual shares in companies as a general rule. Microsoft at IPO, Apple at IPO, AON as part of the employee programs. The only stock I have sold in the last five years was to pay off my son’s student loans oppon his graduation from college.

But, am am very truthful in saying anything you can add about food safety and how we can handle post harvest processing more safely would greatly be appreciated and to the conversation.

Warm regards

Ethan

And we can’t forget the voices in my head. :wink:

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Ethan,

Growers store and handle some of the most dangerous thing on site.****

I would suggest that the Lab’s or manufacturing uses / stores the worst of chemicals in the industry.

Every grower keeps an MSDS book and generally meets with the fire department once or twice a year.

They should, but is it updated, stored correctly, used in accordance with labels and exposure training to CALOSHA standards? If they are licensed, they will be inspected and yes the FD wants to know what and where is on site for firefighting purposes, but it is OSHA that determines storage, use and training. If not licensed, well we all know that story and the litter/improper disposal can be seen all over California.

I would rather have chlorine in this form than tanks of chlorine gas in my grow.

I apologize, I did not mean to suggest the use of Cl2 gas or its onsite storage, ever. Chlorine gas must be stored outside by state law, not in your grow.

All chemical must be handled with the greatest of care. We only get one life, unless you believe in reincarnation.

I agree completely as a safety, compliance and training officer for 30+ years.

The point is we know about handling hazardous chemicals.

Most growers don’t and/or are just learning (remember what happens if you assume something). New chemical use requires new training.

What we need to learn is more about food safety.

**I agree, As a comparison look to research lessons taken from the AMA and university studies on Tobacco involving the inhalation of products of combustion and now vaping needs to be studied too. Also of great concern are sprays that are OK for ingestibles but may have not been tested for their potential negative affects during inhalation. **

Ethan,

I hear the voices too (they say smoke janga, feel mo’ better), that’s why the VA medicates me (my shrink has recommended Cannabis for me and it’s in my official records)

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If you only know what our lab at our greenhouse stored!

Acromide gels always made me fret the most. We had a hazard waste disposal bill every month.

Silver nitrate was stored in 50 gallon plastic carboid. Just try managing the silver reclamation. We tried as hard as we could to account for every milligram. Most was recycled only a little was tied up in plants.

Silver thiosulfate was a great post harvest treatment in the 1980’s and early 1990’s when other more friendly ethylene inhabitants came on the market. But, nothing controlled bacteria growth in flowers better than silver. To bad it is so toxic to all life.

Also the storage of tons of ammonium nitrate in spring.

Also when we had to fumigate a 40 acre field with 2-Chlorobenzalmalononitrile for cyst nematodes that kind of sucked. Thank you proxair for you application.

Live steam sucks too, too many burns to recall. We had a high pressure steam line eat a hole through 18” of WW2 era concrete into out largest cooler and eat a hole through the other wall.

My point is as an industry we need to grow up a least some of the day. The plant food people are going to be my death. If one more vendor can’t supply a garenteed analysts and an MSDS sheet, I am going to ask for a ban. I used to do the tea titrations for a friends organic farm. I got the old laying hens for a twice monthly titrations of his teas, my chicken where plucked with cold water and salted. Organic fertilizers aka “plant food” needs to be labled so compliance of the grower can be maintained. One plant food vendor had so much heavy metal in it I thought I was look at milorginite.

From the non-drug induced voices in my head
Warm regards
Ethan

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Oh, I do. I spent 30+ years working with chemical in wineries, vineyards, Labs, Greenhouses, Dairies and general farming, 5 more in Academia research labs and another 10 at the USFS and DFG enforcing the endangered species act and waterway regulations. Change is a constant and we are much safer today due to training, new formulations,understanding mode of action, efficiencies and hopefully learning how to better care for the environment , worker and food safety. Just because they’re trained doesn’t mean they don’t need supervision !
This industry is in transition and we’re looking for a few good actors, better science and respect for the environment.

I’d rather have a bottle in front of me (tincture or beer) than a prefrontal lobotomy. :grinning:

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This is worth quoting, the remones reference is a bit more obscure. I use it every time I get my blood drawn. Substitute flabotomy for labatomy. :blush:

Yes change is constant and needs to be built in to our SOP. We are better growers who learn how to grow. Learning does not stop with a diploma.

Brings me to two questions, how do we make harvest and post harvest safer for both our workers and our consumers? We are missing a piece in the post harvest physiology of cannabis. We are loosing secondary compounds through poor handling.

Second since you live in a state where cannabis is legal, do you think you could do a thin film spectomorty aka the old spinach test on some cannabis. I am looking at what the real profile absorption profile is of cannabis. A spectromitor would be nice.

From the voices in my head
Ethan.

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TO ALL CA GROWERS… OXINE WT is not labeled for use in horticultural facilities in CA. We have submitted, but due to the fact that CA has tighter restrictions compared to anywhere else in the US, or the world for that matter, we cannot sell or provide samples of our product to growers in CA.
I apologize for any confusion this offer might have caused.
Oxine WT is recognized, approved and or registered with the EPA, FDA, USDA as well as certified OMRI organic in every other US state.

if you have any questions, please let me know.

Thank you,

Tom Johnston
Key Solutions Group

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