Question:medium

What amount of bleaching powder is necessary to disinfect choleric stools?

Show Hint

Recall the standard bleaching powder dose for disinfecting infective excreta.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
  • 50 gm/lit
  • 75 gm/lit
  • 90 gm/lit
  • 100 gm/lit
Show Solution

The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Disinfecting the stools of cholera patients is an essential control step, and the standard dose of bleaching powder used is approximately 50 gm for each litre of excreta, which is option a.

Step 2: Calcium hypochlorite in bleaching powder liberates available chlorine, a potent oxidiser that destroys Vibrio cholerae present in the faeces. At about 50 gm per litre the chlorine load is sufficient to render the stool non-infective.

Step 3: The treated material is left for an appropriate contact period so the chlorine can act fully before the waste is disposed of safely.

Step 4: Doses of 75, 90 or 100 gm per litre go beyond the accepted requirement and are therefore incorrect choices. The expected answer is 50 gm per litre.

\[\boxed{50 \text{ gm/lit}}\]
Was this answer helpful?
0