Furthermore, safety and disposal are even more serious issues. Supposing I
got a quart of some specific plant microbicide and used the 5 or 10 ml I
needed, I'd really hate to have the bottle around my place just getting stale
and waiting to break, perhaps from an accident, perhaps from degeneration and
pressure inside.
But if I've got a quart of fungicide I need to get rid of, I can't flush it
down the toilet the way I can with a quart of bleach or other chlorine
compound. And if there were an accidental swallowing or eyesplash, I would
=much= rather deal with nontoxic bleach (needing rinsing-- lavage-- and rest)
than a specific microbicide (intravenous treatments).
Speaking of toilet cleaning, I do not know about the educational background
of this group, but I thought everybody knows not to mix vinegar, ammonia, or
other acids with bleach. And nobody I am aware of has suggested vinegar or
ammonia on plants anyway. There are lots of potentially dangerous chemicals
that are commonly used at home, and I sincerely think bleach is a lot safer
than, for example, old-fashioned brown Lysol, or TSP (trisodium phosphate),
or even Tylenol. There's a certain amount of careful common sense that I
think that we aroiders share.
Sodium hypochlorite solution, at bleach concentrations or lower, does not
oxidize one's epidermis when one leaves it in contact with the skin. The
stratum corneum is a highly effective protective barrier. The lingering smell
on the skin is not a sign of reaction with the epidermis. It is a sign that
the stratum corneum has effectively blocked the bleach from going further.
Speaking of aesthetic considerations such as smell, this really is a personal
matter, insofar as some people actually don't mind it, go swimming in
chlorine solutions daily, or put their private parts over toilet bowls that
have water disinfected by chlorine tablets. Calcium hypochlorite and sodium
dichloroisocyanurate are common pool compounds, and Chlorox sells tablets
that are put into toilet tanks for slow release.
And speaking of water, one last note about pH, especially, pH 10. My favorite
bottled water, trinitysprings.com, has a pH of 9.6, and it tastes great. I h
ave a cousin living out near that spring, and he doesn't have problems
watering his lawn with this 9.6 water. Even four times as alkaline, pH 10,
we're still not talking about the kind of alkalinity which would dissolve
pieces of plants.
So, to bring this topic back to where it started, is there anybody out there
who can comment, from experience, on disinfecting rhizomes etc by using
dilute solutions of various simple chlorine compounds?
In a message dated 12/13/1 3:46:18 PM, Ted.Held@hstna.com writes:
<< Oops. And when bleach breaks down there is also some residual alkali
(sodium hydroxide, caustic soda) left over. This means the pH will be basic
(probably 10 or thereabouts).
----- Forwarded by Ted Held/PA/Henkel Americas on 12/13/01 09:36 AM -----
Ted Held
To: aroid-l@mobot.org
12/13/01 08:29 cc:
AM Fax to:
Subject: Chlorine Bleach (and
Peroxide)
(Document link: Ted Held)
Here are a few comments about chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite):
-Nonpoisonous
Relatively non poisonous - provided you don't acidify it (as by adding
vinegar), which will release actual chlorine gas, a decidely toxic
material. See later comments.
-Compared to complex organics, less persistent
True. But many of the commercial microbicides are actually not very
persistent as was the case with early pesticides. I think current
microbicides are good when used as directed.
-Not absorbed by tissues (the prize plant or our skin and lungs)
Will be absorbed by tissues as you might notice if you use bleach without
gloves. That offensive (to me) smell that hangs on your exposed skin is
evidence of lingering chlorine absorption (and tissue degradation).
-Breaks down into water and ordinary salt
Yes, once its oxidizing work is complete.
-Even cheaper than hydrogen peroxide
Pound for pound, bleach is less expensive than peroxide as a microbicide.
On the other hand, we in the hobby are not in the business of mass killing
where the cost is really a factor. Bleach happens to be handy, however,
meaning that you have a disinfectant in the house whenever you need it.
-Does not oxidize living tissue
Does, in fact, oxidize living tissue. That is the way it kills. Bacteria
and fungi are oxidized to death. It will oxidize your epidermis if not
protected. Not advisable to leave it in contact with skin for any length of
time.
-As for friendly microorganisms, they can repopulate the sanitized areas
very
rapidly by spreading from the healthy surface of a tuber, or from healthy
dirt
True, provided the residual bleach is rinsed away and a healthy inoculate
is available.
-Very low concentrations will kill germs
True. Bleach probably has ten times the killing power compared with an
equivalent of peroxide. Incidently, will increase its killing power
dramatically if the pH is lowered, making chlorine poison gas more readily
available. Acidification by non-professionals is not advised.
-You don't have to wear a respirator or chase away the kids and pets.
Some people don't like the smell of bleach. I find it cloying and choking
when used in a confined space. If you make a little dilution in a bucket
for washing off tubers all you really need is a modicum of air circulation.
If you acidify it, chlorine gas is really gross and can actually kill you.
Take my word for it. >>
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