Ozone Information


What is ozone?

Ozone is a gas consisting of three atoms of oxygen. It has the fresh smell of air after a storm and is light blue in colour. It is non-flammable, however it can prolong the burning process. It dissolves well in water and is impermanent. It is produced naturally in the earth's atmosphere, as well as by specialized devices, like our ozone generators. Ozone made by our generators reacts with organic substances (mould, other fungi, viruses, bacteria, allergens) and destroys them completely.

While disintegrating, ozone releases an oxygen molecule, which neutralizes chemical compounds, by rejoining them. This is what we call “ozonation”, which results in clean, fresh air free from any viruses, bacteria and other compounds dangerous to human health. Ozonation not only disinfects the air, but also removes odour and all bad smells. Ozone kills bacteria 50 times more effectively and 300 times faster than chlorine. Just a small concentration of ozone kills all bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc. in a few minutes.

Is ozone toxic?

Its intense fresh smell is perceptible even at 0.02÷0.05 ppm concentrations, but it is dangerous only when the concentrations are above 0.08 ppm in the air for eight hours. This is the accepted norm that is followed in the U.S., Canada and most European countries. Therefore, it is very important for the ozonizing operations to be performed by trained personnel. Ozone is a strong oxidizer that is generally not harmful to mammals at low concentrations, but lethal to microorganisms such as bacteria. However, ozone like any other strong agents, can be harmful if not handled properly. Ozone is a toxic gas in high concentrations, nevertheless it can be used safely by trained staff. Although ozone is very powerful, it is very unstable and begins to decompose instantly. When ozone comes into contact with organic compounds or bacteria, the extra atom of oxygen destroys the contaminant through oxidation. Ozone breaks down into oxygen after being used, so no harmful products remain.

Advantages of Ozone

  • Ozone is the most powerful oxidant for sanitizing surfaces or disinfecting water.
  • Ozone can kill pathogens in seconds vs. several minutes for other oxidants.
  • Ozone is one of the strongest oxidant available for oxidizing organics.
  • Ozone decomposes into oxygen, so it is absolutely environmentally friendly.
  • Ozone, by itself, does not affect pH.
  • Ozone cannot be stored; therefore, having a large volume of a dangerous oxidizer is not possible.
  • Ozone can be effective in partially oxidizing organics in the water to biodegradable compounds that can be removed by biological filtration.
Like every oxidant, ozone has its down-sides. However, it is important we clarify the actual negatives vs. the perceived “negatives” that arise from misuse.
In light of ozone's effectiveness, are the three bulleted items really negatives, or do we just need to use it safely like electricity, or gasoline? All oxidizers will have similar “negative” effect as ozone if used improperly. Proper implementation is key to achieving outstanding results in your process.

Half Life

Ozone is an unstable molecule which quickly changes back to oxygen. The half-life (time for half of the ozone in air to decompose) is 20÷60 minutes depending on the temperature and humidity of the ambient air. The half-life in clean water is about the same. Note: the temperature, pH, and water quality will affect half-life.

Storage

Ozone cannot be stored or transported, but must be made on site. This requires feedgas preparation and ozone generation equipment.

When is a negative a positive? Since ozone cannot be stored, it is not possible to have a large, potentially dangerous volume of oxidizer such as you can have for chlorine or hypochlorite. Ozone equipment can neither be “punctured” with a fork lift nor “tipped over.”

Ozone Safety

Observed Effects - Concentration (ppm):
  • Threshold of odour, normal person - 0.005 ÷ 0.02
  • Maximum 8 hr. average exposure limit - 0.1
  • Minor eye, nose, and throat irritation, headache, shortness of breath - >0.1
  • Breathing disorders, reduced oxygen consumption, lung irritation, severe fatigue, chest pain, dry cough  - 0.5 ÷ 1.0
  • Headache, respiratory irritation, and possible coma. Possibility of sever pneumonia at higher levels of exposure  - 1 ÷ 10
  • Immediately dangerous to life and health  - 10
  • Lethal to small animals within two hours  - 15 ÷ 20