Which chemical is usually used to disinfect waste containing microbial organisms?

• A. Sodium Chloride
• B. Chlorine
• C. Sodium Sulfate
• D. Fluorine

Answer: (B)

Disinfection of waste containing microbial organisms relies on chemical agents that inactivate microbes by damaging essential cellular components. Chlorine-based disinfectants are commonly used because chlorine forms hypochlorous acid in water, a strong oxidizer that penetrates microbial cells and denatures enzymes and other critical proteins, quickly inactivating bacteria, viruses, and many pathogens. This makes chlorine effective, widely available, and cost-efficient for treating large volumes of waste.

Sodium chloride is just table salt and does not kill microbes. Sodium sulfate is a salt used for other purposes, not disinfection. Fluorine is highly reactive and toxic and is not used as a routine disinfectant for waste due to safety concerns and lack of practical effectiveness as a disinfectant in this context.