Compositions containing chlorine dioxide and their preparation

Claim 1

A oomposition having an initially basic pH consisting essentially of: (1) from about 0.01% to about 1% by weight of sodium chlorite; and (2) a chlorine dioxide initiator in an amount suitable to interact with sodium chlorite to form chlorine dioxide selected from the group consisting of: (A) hydroxyalkyl cellulose having from 2 to about 5 carbons in the alkyl group, an alkali metal alginate, xanthan gum, carrageenan, and agar; (B) dyes; (C) compounds having an aldehyde or acetal substitutent group; (D) perfumes not including a compound (C), and (E) mono-and disaccharides, and mixtures thereof, said composition forming an antimicrobial concentration of chlorine dioxide of about 0.1 to about 10 ppm equilibrium by interaction of the sodium chlorite and the initiator within a predetermined time subsequent to preparation of the composition and having a viscosity suitable to maintain the chlorine dioxide at a steady-state concentration.