Ozone

The oxygen we breathe everyday to survive is a stable molecule composed of two oxygen atoms. Naturally occurring and found in the ground level of the atmosphere, Ozone is a colorless gas, a less stable molecule composed of three oxygen atoms. The third oxygen molecule is able to attach itself to other molecules to attack their chemical composition. More specifically, Ozone is essential due to its ability to act as an air purifier by breaking the bonds which hold together the odor producing molecules, reducing them to oxygen with no chemical residue. Even though Ozone acts as an air purifier, if the concentration range exceeds 0.02 – 0.05 ppm (parts per million) of volume, Ozone can be considered a toxic gas, harmful to the respiratory system.

There are many applications that Ozone is used for throughout the world. In particular, Ozone is most commonly used as a sterilizer in domestic water, waste water systems, food processing, and as a neutralizer for smokestack chemicals before they enter the atmosphere. In addition, Ozone is used to replace chlorine to control bacteria and algae growth in maintenance of swimming pools. However, scientific evidence shows that some of the by-products of Ozone’s reactions with other chemicals prove to be unstable and may to lead to irritative and corrosive by-products.

With the growing importance and need for cleaner air, Ozone generators have been manufactured to purify indoor air. An Ozone generator uses a high voltage electrical charge to convert oxygen in air (O2) to Ozone (O3) to result in a pungent, powerful oxidant. It was found at high concentration levels, Ozone attacks and destroys gas molecules and microorganisms. However, supported evidence shows that Ozone should not be considered for odor removal in building ventilation systems and that dust/pollen removal was ineffective. In order to remove odor and remove most indoor air contaminants, the Ozone concentration levels would have to greatly exceed the health standards.

As a result, no agency of the Federal Government has approved these devices for use in occupied environments. Moreover, it was found that controlling Ozone generators was difficult. Specifically, the amount of Ozone released was not proportional to the control settings. If a larger unit was used in a small environment, the higher concentration levels of Ozone could greatly increase the risk of excessive Ozone exposure. Inhaling acute amounts of Ozone may cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath, and throat irritation. Exposure to Ozone may also worsen chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma.

Even though Ozone generators have shown to be a potential health hazard and an ineffective product in removing dust/pollen and other particles, Austin Air filters prove to have a high capacity for this particular substance. Austin Air filters will provide a good service adsorbing high concentrations of Ozone from the environment.