Hypochlorites

Hypochlorites are the salts of hypochlorous acid. There are several different types of hypochlorites such as calcium hypochlorite (bleaching powder or swimming pool chlorination compound), methyl hypochlorite, lithium hypochlorite, and sodium hypochlorite (chlorine bleach or bleaching agent). The hypochlorite ion is written as hypochlorites have a low stability, thus making them very strong oxidizing agents. They react with any inorganic and organic compounds.

The most common type of hypochlorite used in the embalming room would be sodium hypochlorite written as NaOCl. It can also be known as sodium chlorate (I). Many do not know that sodium hypochlorite is what they may know as bleach, a very popular disinfectant. Despite the fact that bleach is aqueous NaOCl, the actual disinfecting agent in bleach is hypochlorous acid. The first solution of hypochlorous acid was made around 1750, and was brought into trade in France as“bleach liquor” under the name of “Eau de Javelle”. Hypochlorous acid, or HOCl, is a weak acid used as bleach, an oxidizer, a deodorant, and of course, a disinfectant. As a disinfectant (and perhaps a deodorant), bleach is used in all prep rooms, on surfaces, instruments, embalming equipment, rubber parts, and plastic goods. Some disadvantages though, are that bleach can cause corrosion on many of these objects. Another instance that the embalmer needs to be aware of is that when bleach mixes with embalming fluid, it becomes highly carcinogenic.

According to the MSDS report for NaOCl, other health risks include severe irritation or damage to the eyes and skin. It can lead to medical conditions such as heart conditions or chronic respiratory problems such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or obstructive lung disease.

An interesting fact is that bleach became very popular in embalming rooms in the mid 1980’s during the AIDS scare. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) document that advocated bleach use in AIDS disinfection (1987) launched the widespread over usage of bleach in embalming rooms. It was not uncommon at the time to hear of bleach being pre-injected into bodies, bleach actually mixed with embalming fluid (very dangerous) or bodies being embalmed with bleach instead of embalming fluid. A close look at this document reveals that the CDC did not advocate bleach in lieu of other disinfectants, but merely a statement that bleach was effective if no other registered or approved disinfectants were available for use.