Ozone Basics

Ozone (O3) or "active oxygen" is a triatomic molecule made of three oxygen molecules. It is highly unstable and reactive with organic and non-organic materials. Ozone is nature's purest and strongest oxidizer - a state that is achieved when molecules lose atoms. Ozone is 150% stronger than chlorine and reacts over 3,000 times faster, leaving no harmful byproducts.

ThiOzone, the first allotrope (a variant of a substance consisting of only one type of atom) of a chemical element to be recognized, was proposed as a distinct chemical compound by Christian Friedrich Schonbein in 1840, who named it after the Greek verb ozein ("to smell"), from the peculiar odor in lightning storms. The formula for ozone, O3, was not determined until 1865 by Jacques-Louis Soret and confirmed by Schonbein in 1867.

Ozone is made two ways in nature. The first is through UV light from the sun, which creates our ozone layer. The second and more powerful way is through lightning. Lightning strikes or "corona discharge" splits oxygen (O2) molecules in the air. Once the O2 molecules are split, they become highly unstable single oxygen molecules and need to bond to other oxygen molecules immediately. The single oxygen molecules bond to other single oxygen molecules to form O2, or bond directly to O2, forming O3 - Ozone.

Ozone has many applications including waste water treatment, swimming pools, food sanitation, aquariums, agriculture, air purification, laundries and many more. Ozone is generated on site from oxygen in many applications, eliminating the need to haul chemicals or other dangerous products.

In many applications ozone saves money, the environment, and time. Ozone is much healthier and safer to use than harsh caustic chemicals, and it does a better job. There are many applications where thermo oxidation is used to disinfect or clean. Ozone can do the same job as thermo oxidation, but with the advantage of working in cold environments - thus providing savings in energy and money.

1785

• Dutch chemist Martinus Van Marum is the first person to experimentally detect ozone.



1840

• German chemist Christian Friedrich Schonbein formally classifies and names ozone. Schonbein immediately recognizes and begins experimentation on the disinfecting qualities of ozone.



1857

• Ernst Werner von Siemens manufactures the first commercial ozone generator, as well as authors a book on ozone water purification.



1893

• Oudshoorn, Netherlands installs the first technical-scale application of ozone for water purification.



1906

• Based upon extensive studies of the Oudshoorn, Netherlands application, another ozone water purification unit is installed in Nice, France.



1907

• French chemist Marius Paul Otto starts a specialized company for the manufacture of ozone installations: 'Compagnie des Eaux et de l'Ozone'.



1940

• Over 100 Large-scale ozone water purification installations in use throughout the world.



1977

• Number of worldwide ozone water purification installations reaches 1043.



1982

• FDA GRAS declaration for ozone use in bottled water - FDA approved for bottled water.



1984

• Since 1984 All Olympic Games Are Swam In Ozone Pools.



1985

• Over 2000 industrial ozone water purification systems in active use around the world as the harmful side effects of chemical based purification becomes known.



1986

• CT values adopted by the EPA.



1996

• USDA approved as a disinfectant.



1997

• Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) by FDA and USDA.



2001

• FDA approved as an antimicrobial agent on food.



2004

• Approved USDA Nat'l Organic Program - Standard 7 C.F. R. Part 205-605.