Ozone is an unstable molecule, meaning that it quickly reverts back to the more common diatomic oxygen (O2).  At room temperature, about half the ozone present disappears every twenty minutes.  This short half-life is the reason ozone must be produced at, or close to, the point of use.
 

What does ozone do?
Ozone is a powerful sanitizer.  It kills nearly every known pathogen, including common bacteria, viruses, molds and fungi.  Ozone is also one of the most effective deodorizers known to man.  In contrast to chlorine, ozone actually improves the taste and odor of water. There is a lengthy and successful history of ozone use for human, water and air treatment.

Is ozone safe for people?
In its gaseous form, ozone has been known to be an irritant to humans, and there are strict guidelines on safe levels for both short and long-term exposure.   In many applications, ozone is dissolved in water to make it safe to use and easy to handle.  There are no defined exposure limits for ozone in water as it is generally regarded as safe (GRAS). Ozone was discovered in 1840 and has been used effectively on humans as a successful health treatment since 1870. Click here for more facts and frequently asked questions on Ozone & Oxidative Therapy.

Is ozone harmful to the environment?
No, Ozone is part of the environment and occurs naturally and disappears too rapidly to have a lasting effect on the natural environment.  In fact, most naturally occurring ozone is produced when lightening strikes.  The “fresh” smell after a thunderstorm is partly due to ozone.

Using ozone as a cleaning agent is actually better for the environment than using chemical cleaners.  When chlorine or triclosan (the most common antibacterial agent in consumer soaps) are used, they remain in the water supply and can produce cancer-causing by-products.  In fact triclosan has been shown to decay into dioxins which disrupt the endocrine systems in fish.  In contrast, the primary by-product of ozone is oxygen, and ozone leaves no chemical residue behind.

Is ozone as effective as chemical sanitizers?
Most conventional sanitizers work by a chemical process called oxidation.  The higher the “oxidizing potential” (a measure of oxidizing power) the more effective a substance is at killing germs.  Ozone has a higher oxidizing potential than chlorine or chlorine bleach.  In fact, ozone has the highest oxidizing potential of any substance that can be readily produced.  As ozone reverts to diatomic oxygen it creates oxygen radicals and hydroxyl radicals which are also highly oxidizing. 

Can I drink water that has been treated with ozone?
Holland first used ozone treated municipal water in 1893. In the 21st century, nearly every water-bottling facility uses ozone to sanitize both the water and the bottles.  Ozone has been used successfully in municipal water treatment for over a hundred years.  Ozone kills bacteria in the water and has been shown to remove unwanted tastes, odors and even some trace contaminants like pesticides or pharmaceuticals.  In time, the ozone reverts back to normal atmospheric oxygen (O2).

It is unclear if there are long-term effects are of drinking water that contains high levels of ozone.  However, the acute effects of ingesting ozonated water are negligible compared to conventional cleaners such as chlorine bleach and ammonia.  It is inadvisable to drink any cleaning solution.   A significant proportion of poisoning incidents involve children and household cleaners.  Ozonated water is produced on demand (rather than stored in containers) and has no acute effects, so the use of ozonated water may improve household safety.

Is it safe to use ozone on food?
Yes! and better to do so with the raging issues regarding food borne illnesses.  The US FDA has approved ozone for use in sanitizing foods and surfaces that contact foods.  In fact, ozone is approved for use on foods that are labeled as “organic”.  This means that an “organic” apple can be washed with ozonated water and remain an “organic” apple.  When used as directed, the ozonated water would kill >99.9% of e coli, salmonella or other pathogens on the surface of the food.

Ozone not only kills germs on food, it has also been shown to extend shelf life.  Washing foods in ozonated water kills decay-causing bacteria on the suface.  In addition, ozone destroys ethylene gas, which acts as a ripening agent in fruits and vegetables.

How long does ozone last?
Once created, it takes about 20 minutes for half of the O3 to revert back to its preferred state of O2.  This short half-life means that ozone must be generated at the point of use.  Since ozone’s half-life decreases with increasing temperature, ozone is most effective in cool or cold water. Extend life of ozonated drinking water by refrigeration.  Dissipates yet lasts up to 7 days when kept chilled.

What are the conventional methods for producing ozone?
There are three forms of producing Ozone for therapeutic devices.  Conventional ozone generators use a process that mimics the production of ozone during lightening strikes. An oxygen-containing inert gas is exposed to high-voltage electricity that creates sparks in a “corona discharge tube” creating a plasma field. Electrolytic techniques utilizing anode and cathode with DC power may be used in water.   In some cases, UV light may be used instead of electricity to break down the oxygen molecules, but the general principle remains the same.

How is electrolytic ozone generation like in the PureCharge Energetic Spa different from conventional ozone technologies as in AquaLab?
Electrolytic techniques produce ozone directly in a water stream without an input gas.  The construction of an electrolytic cell is fairly simple.  An anode and cathode are placed in contact with opposite sides of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) or electrolytic solution.  When DC power is supplied to the cell, water flowing over the surface of the anode is broken down into its constituent hydrogen and oxygen atoms. If the correct anode material is chosen, the oxygen atoms assemble as O3 in preference to O2.  Hydrogen ions (protons) migrate through the membrane or the solution and form H2 at the cathode surface.

What are the advantages of electrolytic ozone generation like the PureCharge Spa?
Because electrolytic cells create ozone directly in water, they offer several advantages over corona systems.  These include:

What are the disadvantages of electrolytic ozone generation?
Electrolytic generators work very well for small-scale ozone generation, but their cost is directly related to the size of the anodes.   For systems requiring 10 g/h of ozone and above, cold plasma corona discharge systems are more economical and create a purer 'medical grade' ozone for therapeutic treatment.