Process for the generation of chlorine dioxide

A process of generating chlorine dioxide, comprising the steps of:

• adding formamidinesulfinic acid (FSA) and sodium chlorite to water to form an aqueous solution having a pH of 6-8 and reacting the FSA and the sodium chlorite at the pH of 6-8 to produce chlorine dioxide based on an oxidation-reduction reaction of chlorite and the sulfur-containing compound FSA, wherein the reacting produces chlorine dioxide having a concentration of at least 1 parts per million (ppm) in less than or equal to 30 seconds of adding the FSA and the sodium chlorite to the aqueous solution.