OZONE - OZONE (O3) IS A FORM OF OXYGEN THAT HAS ONE MORE OXYGEN ATOM THAN THE ATMOSPHERIC OXYGEN (O2) WE BREATHE. IT’S THIS THIRD OXYGEN ATOM THAT MAKES THE OZONE MOLECULE SO UNSTABLE, WHICH IS THE KEY TO ITS OXIDIZING POWER. SINCE OZONE IS UNSTABLE, IT HAS A FAIRLY SHORT HALF-LIFE UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, SO IT HAS TO BE PRODUCED AND SUPPLIED CONTINUOUSLY TO A DISINFECTION PROCESS. WHEN MOST PEOPLE THINK OF OZONE, THEY PICTURE THE LAYER HIGH IN THE EARTH'S OUTER ATMOSPHERE THAT PROTECTS US FROM THE SUN'S ULTRAVIOLET RAYS, BUT THIS BLUISH GAS, WHICH SOMETIMES CAN BE DETECTED AS A FRESH SMELL AFTER A THUNDERSTORM, IS ACTUALLY A VALUABLE TOOL WITH A VARIETY OF DOWN-TO-EARTH USES. OZONE GAS (O3) IS A NATURALLY OCCURRING TRI-ATOMIC FORM OF OXYGEN (O2) THAT IS FORMED AS SUNLIGHT PASSES THROUGH THE ATMOSPHERE OR WHEN STREAKS THROUGH THE AIR. IT CAN BE GENERATED ARTIFICIALLY BY PASSING HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICITY THROUGH OXYGENATED AIR (CORONA DISCHARGE), CAUSING OXYGEN TO BREAK APART AND RECOMBINE IN THE TRI-ATOMIC FORM.
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BECAUSE OXYGEN NATURALLY SEEKS ITS NORMAL STATE, OZONE IS AN UNSTABLE, HIGHLY REACTIVE FORM OF THE GAS. AS AN OXIDIZER, IT IS 51 TIMES AS POWERFUL THAN CHLORINE, THE OXIDIZER MOST COMMONLY USED BY MOST FOOD PROCESSORS, AND 3,000 TIMES FASTER AT KILLING BACTERIA AND OTHER MICROBES. OZONE IS EFFECTIVE AS A DISINFECTANT AT RELATIVELY LOW CONCENTRATIONS AND DOES NOT LEAVE TOXIC BY-PRODUCTS SIMILAR TO THOSE RELATED TO CHLORINATION.
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FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, OZONE HAS BEEN USED IN EUROPE FOR PURIFYING DRINKING WATER AND IS CURRENTLY USED IN THE UNITED STATES FOR PURIFYING BOTTLED WATER AND DECONTAMINATING COOLING TOWERS. THE CITIES OF LOS ANGELES, DALLAS, AND LAS VEGAS ALL CURRENTLY USE OZONE TO PURIFY THEIR WATER SUPPLY.
OZONE'S REACTIVE NATURE TAKES TWO DIFFERENT CHEMICAL PATHWAYS, DIRECT AND INDIRECT. IN THE DIRECT PATHWAY, OZONE REACTS WITH UNSATURATED BONDS AND CAUSES THEM TO SPLIT, ESPECIALLY UNDER ACIDIC CONDITIONS. THE INDIRECT PATHWAY REQUIRES INITIATORS THAT BREAK DOWN THE OZONE EVEN MORE RAPIDLY.
OZONE'S REACTIVE NATURE TAKES TWO DIFFERENT CHEMICAL PATHWAYS, DIRECT AND INDIRECT. IN THE DIRECT PATHWAY, OZONE REACTS WITH UNSATURATED BONDS AND CAUSES THEM TO SPLIT, ESPECIALLY UNDER ACIDIC CONDITIONS. THE INDIRECT PATHWAY REQUIRES INITIATORS THAT BREAK DOWN THE OZONE EVEN MORE RAPIDLY.
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COMPARED TO CHLORINE, OZONE OFFERS SEVERAL ADVANTAGES FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE PROCESSORS OR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SANITIZE MATERIALS OR SURFACES. CHLORINE HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN THE SANITIZER OF CHOICE IN THE FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRY, BUT EXPERTS SHARE A GROWING CONCERN ABOUT THE DANGEROUS BYPRODUCTS SUCH AS TRIHALOMETHANES OR DIOXINS PRODUCED WHEN CHLORINE REACTS WITH ORGANIC MATTER IN THE WATER. THESE SUBSTANCES ARE KNOWN CARCINOGENS AND ARE REGULATED IN DRINKING WATER BY THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
OZONE, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS SIMPLY OXYGEN IN AN UNSTABLE AND HIGHLY REACTIVE FORM. IT NATURALLY TENDS TO SEEK ITS NORMAL STATE, EXHIBITING A SHORT HALF-LIFE AS IT REVERTS TO OXYGEN FAIRLY RAPIDLY. WHEN IT REACTS WITH ORGANIC MATTER, IT DOES NOT FORM ANY TOXIC BYPRODUCTS AND THE WATER IN WHICH IT WAS DELIVERED CAN BE FILTERED AND REUSED. BECAUSE IT IS SO HIGHLY REACTIVE, OZONE IS EFFECTIVE AT CONTROLLING OR REMOVING BIOFILMS THAT SOMETIMES FORM ON PROCESSING EQUIPMENT. IT CAN ALSO BE USED TO REDUCE BIOLOGICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (BOD), CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (COD), AND TURBIDITY OR OTHER RESIDUES IN WATER.
WHILE CHLORINATED WASH SYSTEMS REQUIRE TRANSPORT AND STORAGE OF POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS TOXIC CHEMICALS, OZONE IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT IS GENERATED ONSITE FROM OXYGEN AND CAN BE PRODUCED ON DEMAND WITH NO STORAGE REQUIRED. WHEN THE GENERATOR IS TURNED OFF, THERE ARE NO DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES ON THE PREMISES. WHILE THE OXIDATION REDUCTION POTENTIAL (ORP) OF OZONE IS AFFECTED BY THE AMOUNT OF ORGANIC MATTER OR CHEMICALS IN THE WATER, ITS ORP IS NOT AS SENSITIVE TO CHANGES IN PH AS THAT OF CHLORINE.
OZONE, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS SIMPLY OXYGEN IN AN UNSTABLE AND HIGHLY REACTIVE FORM. IT NATURALLY TENDS TO SEEK ITS NORMAL STATE, EXHIBITING A SHORT HALF-LIFE AS IT REVERTS TO OXYGEN FAIRLY RAPIDLY. WHEN IT REACTS WITH ORGANIC MATTER, IT DOES NOT FORM ANY TOXIC BYPRODUCTS AND THE WATER IN WHICH IT WAS DELIVERED CAN BE FILTERED AND REUSED. BECAUSE IT IS SO HIGHLY REACTIVE, OZONE IS EFFECTIVE AT CONTROLLING OR REMOVING BIOFILMS THAT SOMETIMES FORM ON PROCESSING EQUIPMENT. IT CAN ALSO BE USED TO REDUCE BIOLOGICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (BOD), CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (COD), AND TURBIDITY OR OTHER RESIDUES IN WATER.
WHILE CHLORINATED WASH SYSTEMS REQUIRE TRANSPORT AND STORAGE OF POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS TOXIC CHEMICALS, OZONE IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT IS GENERATED ONSITE FROM OXYGEN AND CAN BE PRODUCED ON DEMAND WITH NO STORAGE REQUIRED. WHEN THE GENERATOR IS TURNED OFF, THERE ARE NO DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES ON THE PREMISES. WHILE THE OXIDATION REDUCTION POTENTIAL (ORP) OF OZONE IS AFFECTED BY THE AMOUNT OF ORGANIC MATTER OR CHEMICALS IN THE WATER, ITS ORP IS NOT AS SENSITIVE TO CHANGES IN PH AS THAT OF CHLORINE.
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OZONE ALSO HAS A VARIETY OF USES IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE PROCESSING PLANTS. WATER CONTAINING LOW CONCENTRATIONS OF OZONE GAS CAN BE SPRAYED ONTO PROCESSING EQUIPMENT, WALLS OR FLOORS TO BOTH REMOVE AND KILL BACTERIA OR OTHER ORGANIC MATTER THAT MAY BE PRESENT. BECAUSE IT HAS SUCH A SHORT HALF-LIFE, OZONE DOES NOT BUILD UP ON SURFACES THE WAY DETERGENTS CAN IF NOT REMOVED BY PROPER RINSING.
OZONE CAN ALSO BE INJECTED OR DISSOLVED IN PROCESS WATERS OF ALL KINDS TO PROVIDE CHILLING, FLUMING, RINSING OR WASHING OF FOOD PRODUCTS SUCH AS MEAT, POULTRY, SEAFOOD, FRUITS OR VEGETABLES.OZONE DISINFECTION IS EFFECTIVE, SAFE AND RELIABLE. AN OZONE SANITATION APPLICATION IS OFTEN YOUR MOST COST EFFECTIVE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WAY TO BE ABSOLUTELY SURE WHEN CLEAN IS CRITICAL.
OZONE CAN ALSO BE INJECTED OR DISSOLVED IN PROCESS WATERS OF ALL KINDS TO PROVIDE CHILLING, FLUMING, RINSING OR WASHING OF FOOD PRODUCTS SUCH AS MEAT, POULTRY, SEAFOOD, FRUITS OR VEGETABLES.OZONE DISINFECTION IS EFFECTIVE, SAFE AND RELIABLE. AN OZONE SANITATION APPLICATION IS OFTEN YOUR MOST COST EFFECTIVE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WAY TO BE ABSOLUTELY SURE WHEN CLEAN IS CRITICAL.
THE LEADER IN OZONE AIR, WATER TREATMENT, AND SANITATION APPLICATIONS
