Ozone is a triatomic form of oxygen, meaning that the molecule, ozone, is made up of 3 oxygen atoms. Ozone is an unstable gas that readily decomposes to oxygen naturally. Ozone is also a highly reactive gas that acts as a very strong chemical oxidant. Ozone also has a distinct odor that is noticeable at very low levels has a very pungent odor
Ozone removes 99.99% of harmful water/airborne microorganisms
Commercial Ozone Production from Electrical Discharge
The most common method of producing ozone commercially and industrially is an electrical discharge or corona discharge. A corona discharge is simply a diffused spark through a dielectric to spread out that electrical discharge to a large area for maximum efficiency.
3 O2 ⇌2 O3
UNITS OF MEASURE
Abbreviations For these formulas
g/hr Grams per Hour
ppm Parts per Million
pphm Parts per Hundred Million
ppb Parts per billion
mg/hr Milligrams Per Hour
Dolph Liters per minute
CONVERSION FACTORS
| 1 ppb | = 0.001 ppm |
| 100 pphm = | 1 ppm |
| 1000 liters = | 1 m3 |
Ozone kills bacteria by destroying the cell wall of the bacteria Once the cell wall is destroyed, the bacteria will be unable to survive


Ozone for Disinfection and inactivation of pathogens

Bacteria – Ozone interferes with bacterial cell metabolism, probably by inhibiting the enzymatic control system. A sufficient amount of ozone breaks through the cell membrane, destroying the bacteria
Ozone destroys viruses by diffusing through the protein coat into the nucleic acid core, where it damages viral RNA. At higher concentrations, ozone destroys the virus’ exterior protein shell so that DNA or RNA structures are affected
Fungus and Mold- It is believed that ozone destroys fungi and mold by diffusing through the fungal wall and into the cytoplasm, disrupting the organelles that direct cell function
The exact mechanism by which ozone kills protozoa has yet to be determined
Parasitic cysts are of special concern in drinking water derived from surface water sources because they are unaffected by chlorine.
Algae in drinking water supplies release organic chemicals during normal metabolic processes and after they die. These chemicals typically do not cause human illness but do create problems of taste and odor and the potential for increased formation of trihalomethanes