14
polluted water. A few years later in 1891, the German scientist Froelich reported the
bactericidal properties of ozone from pilot plant tests conducted at a drinking water treatment
plant in Martinkenfeld, Germany. In 1893, the first drinking water treatment plant to employ
ozone was built in Oudshoorn in the Netherlands. In 1906, the first large-scale water treatment
facility built specifically to use ozone as a disinfectant was completed. By 1977, there were 1039
ozone drinking water treatment plants in Europe. Today there are thousands water treatment
plants worldwide using ozone. Ozone has been used in swimming pools and spas in France,
Germany, Netherlands, and other European countries since the early 1950's and in the United
States since about 1975.
3) How is Ozone Produced?
Ozone can be produced artificially according the same principle as it occurs in nature, which
means by UV light (ozone layer) or via Corona-Discharge (CD) high voltages, thunderstorm. In
both methods the connection between the oxygen molecules is broken up. Consequently
oxygen radicals are produced, which connect with the oxygen molecule to O
3
(ozone). For the
production of ozone, corona discharge is used more because of the greater advantages of this
method. Advantages are the lower costs for ozone production (more cost-efficient) and the
greater durability of the system. For the feed inlet ambient air can be used as well as pure
oxygen. For pure oxygen, oxygen generators can be used to concentrate oxygen out of air.
When pure oxygen is used a higher concentration of ozone can be produced.
4) How does ozone work?
Ozone operates according to the principle of oxidation. Ozone is faster than chlorine at killing
bacteria because chlorine needs to diffuse through the cell wall and disrupt the bacteria's
metabolism. Ozone, however, rips open the cell wall from the outside, causing the cell's
contents to fall apart. This process is called cell lysing. With ozone, after destruction of the cell,
all that is left is carbon dioxide, cell debris and water. As the ozone oxidizes material, it gets used
up. Once it has done its job of oxidation, ozone reverts back to oxygen (O
2
). This additional
oxygen in the water makes it taste good, smell good and gives it a sparkle. There are no toxic or
hazardous byproducts.
5) What will Ozone Destroy?
Ozone kills bacteria, viruses, spores, mold, mildew, fungi, amoeba and cysts. Various factors play
a role in effectiveness of ozone in the removal of contaminants, such as the amount of ozone,
the concentration of ozone, and the contact time of ozone with the organism. Ozone will not
usually eliminate all algae and hence an additional sanitizer must be added to the water to kill
algae and provide protection during the time the ozone generator is not on.
6) Is Ozone an Oxidizer?
The easy answer is yes. Ozone oxidizes at a rate of nearly 3000 times that of chlorine, and is
twice as powerful. Ozone will also oxidize metals such as iron and manganese, as well as the
bonds of many color-producing contaminants like decaying leaves and grass. Once the bond is
broken, the color disappears.
7) What are the benefits of using ozone?
Summary of Contents for SP-3
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