# Dioxi MP14



## Faan (Oct 2, 2009)

A relative of mine manufactures this product mainly as a sterilizing agent for the medical industry. The product is non toxic, but kills all known fungi and bacteria. Their recommendation is to spray this as preventative measure on a weekly basis at 20ml per 1l of water. 

This has, as far as I know not been tested on orchids and I am concerned to start using it. I just do not know whether it will have any affect on the plants.

I would appreciate some feedback on this. Maybe we have someone who knows the product and has experience with it.

Thanks


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## Kavanaru (Oct 2, 2009)

buy some cheap plants at home depot and use them as guinea pigs...  that's what I do here when trying something new...


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## PaphMadMan (Oct 2, 2009)

I can't find any information about this product. A chemical name or structure might be helpful. It must be very new or very obscure if there is nothing on the internet under this name.


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## Ernie (Oct 2, 2009)

Yeah, I'm with Kirk... get us a real chemical name to work with (structure wouldn't hurt either). 

-Ernie


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## Ernie (Oct 2, 2009)

Um, okay, I thought someone would certainly have Googled it (search "dioxy MP14") ...

http://www.smartbag.co.za/Dioxy-mp 14.pdf

The search also turned up a hit with "Dioxy MP 14 (stabilised aqueous chlorine dioxide)", so it seems like a simple, small inorganic molecule, but the link was SLOW, so I didn't wait for it to load. 

Ask your relative for the MSDS. It should tell you what it "really" is. Some things are protected though, and it might just say "ingredients: proprietary". 

It seems intended for use on inamimate, hard surfaces. So, should certainly make a good sterilant for benches, walls, non-porous pots, etc. Even the food industry uses have a recommended rinse afterwards. It is a strong oxidizer, and the pdf comapres it to bleach but 7 time stronger. Bleach is safe to use on plants at LOW concentrations. Quaternary ammonium salts, like Physan 20, are similar. We use QA salt solns in the lab to clean incubators etc, but at way higher concentrations recommended for plants. These products become safe for mammals after a time after application once the oxidative potential of the solution is "spent". 

So, like all else, the poison is in the dose. It is probably safe to use on plants at SOME concentration, BUT we have no idea what that is OR if it will still be effective against nasties at that dose. Either do the test as already mentioned, OR wait for someone else to, OR just use something that is known to be safe on orchids. Shoot, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) works great! And it turns into... water! 

Lastly, if you have ongoing issues with fungus and bacteria, I'd look to culture issues before going to chemical fixes. 

-Ernie


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## NYEric (Oct 2, 2009)

Ernie said:


> Bleach is safe to use on plants at LOW concentrations. Quaternary ammonium salts, like Physan 20, are similar.
> -Ernie



Er, does this mean I should dilute the physan 20 ?


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## PaphMadMan (Oct 2, 2009)

I had done a search, and when nothing came up for Dioxi MP14 I tried a broader search but somehow missed dioxy. Now that I see it described as stabilized aqueous chlorine dioxide, which usually means a sodium chlorite solution, I know I would never chose to use it on orchids or any other plants except as a last resort. Assuming it contains no other harmful compounds it should be fine for disinfecting clean hard surfaces, and will leave behind only a fine residue of salt. In low concentrations it might not hurt smooth intact leaf surfaces, but any fine hairs (including root hairs) or exposed soft tissues would be killed more easily than many bacteria or fungi. It would be useless against any viral, fungal or bacterial infection within plant tissues.


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## Ernie (Oct 2, 2009)

NYEric said:


> Er, does this mean I should dilute the physan 20 ?



No, Physan 20 is marketed for plant use. Just make sure you use the plant dose and not the burn the algae off the sidewalk dose. 

-Ernie


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## Roth (Oct 3, 2009)

If it is chlorine dioxide solution stabilized you must find out if they use any nasty chemicals to stabilize it... Otherwise,

Chlorine dioxide is very useful in the commercial phals nursery at 1-2 ppm with every watering. I did not try it however, but it controls perfectly well the pseudomonas bacterial soft rot apparently...


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## Ray (Oct 3, 2009)

Even hydrogen peroxide is stabilized with stannous chloride.


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## gonewild (Oct 3, 2009)

Faan said:


> . The product is non toxic, but kills all known fungi and bacteria.



"Non toxic" + "but kills all" = X

Why would you want to kill *all* bacteria and fungi in or on your plants?
Bacteria and fungi are what makes nature work so well.


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## Ernie (Oct 3, 2009)

Good thought Lance. Have some yogurt after your course of antibiotics! 

-Ernie


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