Ozone is a naturally occurring colorless gas produced from oxygen. It has the ability to act as a disinfectant and eliminate various types of matter. Ozone water treatment is a purification technique that uses this gas to kill certain impurities in water.
Ozone water treatment can be used in numerous settings. It may be used by individual families in their houses, by commercial facilities where numerous people lodge, or by water treatment plants that supply municipalities. This method is often used to not only eliminate contaminants but also in hopes of eliminating undesirable tastes and odors from a water supply.
In nature, ozone can be created by lightning or by the sun. To make an ozone water treatment system work, a similar process must be created. First, there needs to be an oxygen source. This could be air or it could be a dry process gas. Second, there needs to be an energy source, which is typically electricity.
The oxygen source is fed into an ozone generator. There, it is charged to make ozone. Once the ozone is created, it becomes a powerful oxidizer. As such, it can kill impurities found in water such as bacteria, viruses, and mold. In order for this to happen, however, all the water needs to be exposed to the proper concentration of ozone. It also needs to be present in the water long enough for it to dissolve and for it to act against the unwanted matter.
At the end of its short lifespan, ozone completely converts back into oxygen. This can be viewed as a positive attribute because there are no traces of the gas left. When considering ozone water treatment, however, it can be viewed as a disadvantage. This is because the water is then left without its disinfecting agent, so contamination can then occur again before the water is used.
This is not the only disadvantage of ozone water treatment. This method is also ineffective in removing salts and minerals from the water supply. Since it does not remove all impurities and since there is a possibility of recontamination, this method is often used in conjunction with other water treatments.
Despite its shortcomings, ozone is often considered preferable in comparison to other options. One reason is because it is considered environmentally friendly since there are no chemicals used. Another reason is because it is such a powerful oxidizer and can eliminate impurities rather quickly.