What every CEA produce and cannabis grower should know about CLO2 product use and why PRO-OXINE® Horticulture outshines other ClO₂ products in CEA.
By Tom Johnston, President of Key Solutions Group
The following explanation is in response to growers' inquiries about what makes PRO-OXINE® Horticulture (EPA registered disinfectant, sanitizer, fungicide and algaecide) superior to other ClO₂ products. The answer is quite straightforward.
Chemical Composition
The CEA marketplace currently offers numerous ClO₂ products. However, most of these products supplied to growers are merely repackaged commodity or technical grade sodium chlorite, which is primarily manufactured for industrial applications. These solutions often exhibit high concentrations, and some powdered and tablet forms include fillers and buffering agents to ensure stability. Typically, these products lack EPA-approved applications for high-level disinfection and biofilm control, focusing instead on general sanitization and slimicide management. Disinfectant > Sanitizer
In contrast, the PRO-OXINE® Horticulture solution is crafted from a unique blend of "oxychloro species" that works synergistically to create a stabilized aqueous sodium chlorite solution. This solution undergoes additional processing through a patented purification system, resulting in a final product that delivers exceptional performance, unmatched by other ClO₂ offerings.
Activation
When technical grade ClO₂ products are activated, their entire ClO₂ content is activated, often referred to as uncontrolled total activation. This can lead to a more corrosive activated solution with a shorter effectiveness duration. Additionally, using this activated solution in irrigation water may cause plant phytotoxicity.
On the other hand, PRO-OXINE® Horticulture features a unique and controlled activation process that minimizes corrosiveness while achieving full efficacy. This controlled activation allows for safe, long-lasting results on hard surfaces and throughout full-time irrigation. In fact, the irrigation ppm levels of PRO-OXINE® Horticulture have been demonstrated not to affect the pH levels of irrigation water.
Efficacy
PRO-OXINE® Horticulture can be utilized at extremely low ppm levels and near neutral pH, while still ensuring high effectiveness in microbial disinfection.
PRO-OXINE® Horticulture is classified as a full-spectrum disinfectant, demonstrating broad-spectrum effectiveness against a wide range of organisms, including bacteria, bacterial spores, viruses, fungi, and biofilm. This classification sets PRO-OXINE® Horticulture apart from other ClO₂ products.
Real World Facility and Irrigation Use
PRO-OXINE® Horticulture provides high-level protection for all hard non-porous surfaces and throughout the entire irrigation system, extending from the point of injection to the root zone of your plants. While providing protection for hard surfaces is crucial, delivering the same level of 24/7/365 protection for the irrigation system is exceptional; no other ClO₂ product can match this performance.
Product Use Statements
These statements are not mere marketing jargon or theory; they are grounded in real, proven data from actual customers and manufacturer testing. Our manufacturer’s product use statements are supported by decades of experience supplying Oxine® products to sectors requiring precise activation and control as in pharmaceuticals, food, beverage, animal health, horticulture and more.
Product Registration, Studies, and Testing
Oxine® was the first ClO₂ product to receive EPA approval for use. In addition, the EPA specifically approved PRO-OXINE® Horticulture for horticultural CEA applications. Additionally, this product has undergone extensive study and testing by various universities and customer laboratories. Most recently, an HLVd white paper was released by Nathan Johnson, PhD / Verne Bio, highlighting how PRO-OXINE® Horticulture outperforms a 20% sodium hypochlorite (bleach) solution.
If you’re comfortable relying on technical grade ClO₂ products developed for industrial use, there are many options available on the market. However, if you seek the best CLO2 for CEA applications, feel free to reach out to our offices at 515-802-2761 or visit www.ksg-corp.com.