http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts160.html
Studies in rats have shown that exposure of pregnant animals to chlorine dioxide or exposure of pups shortly after birth may cause delays in the development of the brain.
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/mdbp/pdf/alter/chapt_4.pdf
It has also been shown that chlorine dioxide reacts with free fatty acids (Ghandbari et al., 1983).
chlorine dioxide reacts readily with amino acids cysteine, tryptophan, and tyrosine ...
Acid-Chlorite Solution - Chlorine dioxide can be generated by direct-acidification generators in acidification of sodium chlorite solution. Several stoichiometric reactions have been reported for such processes (Gordon et al., 1972). When chlorine dioxide is generated in this way, hydrochloric acid is generally preferred.
Chlorine dioxide generators are operated to obtain the maximum production (yield) of chlorine dioxide, while minimizing free chlorine or other residual oxidant formation. The specified yield for chlorine dioxide generators is typically greater than 95 percent.
[so, even for commericial generators, 5% of the reaction produces free chlorine and other by-products - this link also describes the dynamic complexity of chlorine dioxide reactions]
[in order for CLO2 to be effective against most pathogens, you need to build up a concentration of several mg/L of ClO2 in your body ...]
Chlorite and chlorate are produced in varying ratios as endproducts during chlorine dioxide treatment and subsequent degradation.
Chlorine dioxide reacts with the soluble forms of iron and manganese to forms precipitates that can be removed through sedimentation and filtration.
At this time, it is unclear whether the primary mode of inactivation for chlorine dioxide lies in the peripheral structures or nucleic acids.
The application of chlorine dioxide does not produce THMs and produces only a small amount of total organic halide (TOX) (Werdehoff and Singer, 1987).
chlorine dioxide concentrations exceeding 0.4 to 0.5 mg/L contribute to taste and odor problems (AWWA, 1990).
[so, if you had several mg/L of ClO2 in your body liquids, the dose to kill most pathogens, your body fluids would be fairly odorous with the smell of chlorine]
Singer (1992) noted that the formation of non-halogenated organic byproducts of chlorine dioxide has not been adequately researched ... [but] produces a small amount of organic halides (Werdehoff and Singer, 1987).
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts160.html
Chlorine dioxide is a gas that does not occur naturally in the environment.
[often, i see this listed as a "natural supplement", and it is neither natural, nor a supplement].
Chlorite is formed when chlorine dioxide reacts with water.
When added to water, chlorine dioxide forms chlorite ion, which is also a very reactive chemical.
Chlorine dioxide is a very reactive compound and breaks down quickly in the environment.
Both chlorine dioxide and chlorite react quickly in water or moist body tissues. Eating or drinking large amounts of chlorite salts may cause irritation in the mouth, esophagus, or stomach.
There are no studies on cancer in humans exposed to chlorine dioxide or chlorite.
Based on inadequate information in humans and in animals, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the EPA have determined that chlorine dioxide and sodium chlorite are not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity.
Studies in rats have shown that exposure of pregnant animals to chlorine dioxide or exposure of pups shortly after birth may cause delays in the development of the brain.
[the chloride ion was 80% of the ClO2 metabolites, and chlorite 20% - not "salt" as claimed].
Neonatal jaundice occurred more frequently in infants whose mothers resided in the area where surface water was disinfected with chlorine dioxide, when compared with infants with mothers using nondisinfected well water. Infants born to mothers residing in areas where surface water was disinfected had smaller cranial circumference. In addition, these infants had a smaller body length and lower birthweight.
Meggs et al. (1996) examined 13 individuals (1 man and 12 women) 5 years after they were occupationally exposed to chlorine dioxide from a leak in a water purification system pipe. The long-term effects of the accident included development of sensitivity to respiratory irritants (13 subjects), disability with loss of employment (11 subjects), and chronic fatigue (11 subjects). Nasal abnormalities (including injection telangectasia, paleness, cobblestoning, edema, and thick mucus) were found in all 13 individuals. Nasal biopsies taken from the subjects revealed chronic inflammation with lymphocytes and plasma cells present within the lamina propria in 11 of the 13 subjects; the inflammation was graded as mild in 2 subjects, moderate in 8 subjects, and severe in 1 subject. Nasal biopsies from three control subjects showed chronic inflammation in one subject.
males exposed to 50 mg/L and in females exposed to 25 mg/L: Absolute liver weights were decreased in males, and absolute spleen weights were decreased in females.
Serum lactate dehydrogenase and apartate aminotransferase levels were decreased and serum creatinine levels were increased in the males ... A significant increase in incidence of nasal lesions (goblet cell hyperplasia and inflammation of nasal turbinates) was found and the study authors postulated that these lesions were likely caused by inhalation of chlorine dioxide vapors at the drinking water sipper tube or from off-gassing of the vapors after drinking rather than ingestion of the drinking water.
Abdel-Rahman et al. (1984b) exposed groups of four male Sprague-Dawley rats to 0, 1, 10, 100, an 1000 mg/L chlorine dioxide drinking water 20 hours/day for 11 months: A number of statistically significant hematologic alterations were observed; however, the magnitude of the alterations *** does not appear to be dose related *** :
Osmotic fragility was decreased ...
Erythrocyte counts were decreased ...
Reduced hematocrit and hemoglobin levels were observed in all groups ...
hematocrit levels were significantly increased ...
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations were increased ...
Blood glutathione levels were significantly reduced ...
DNA synthesis (assessed using H-thymidine incorporation) was significantly reduced in the kidneys ...
decreased in the testes ...
increased in the intestinal mucosa ...
The lack of a consistent relationship between dose and hematologic alterations and the small number of animals (four males/group) confound interpretation of the study.
AND THERE IS MUCH MORE TO READ ...
my basic opinion is that it probably doesn't hurt to use it for a short while, but it probably DOES do a lot of bad things if used chronically.