Ozone
Discovered in 1840 by Christian Friedrich Schönbein, Ozone is a naturally occurring substance
that appears due to UV light and electrical discharges in the atmosphere. The formula for Ozone, O3 ,
was determined in 1865 by Jacques-Louis Sore, demonstrating that it is a variant of dioxygen, or O2, a
regular component of the air we breathe and that Ozone is an important part of natural oxygen
production. Industrially, it is replicated through a coronal discharge that transforms normal air into
ozone. The Ozone layer surrounding the planet protects the Earth’s surface from harmful UV rays, and it
is the only molecule that can perform this function. In addition to producing oxygen, Ozone is a
greenhouse gas which traps heat and warms the earth. But it may also harm the atmosphere; ozone is
known as a key element of smog, making its airborne variety a pollutant. Due to its powerful oxidizing
nature, airborne Ozone can be considered an irritant, but only in areas with an enormous concentration,
which are extremely uncommon in the US. Once combined with water, Ozone sheds any harmful
qualities and becomes a natural purifier that leaves no deposit behind. Since its discovery, Ozone has
been considered to be a healthy and critical component of the environment and was very quickly
adapted into many health environments.
Although airborne Ozone may be harmful, it has found almost unlimited safe and healthy uses in
the Industry and for consumers in other forms, particularly because it hardly ever reaches extreme
concentrations. More and more, the industry has begun to adopt Ozone as a healthy and green
substitution to other methods. For example, in the late 20th century, Chlorine was used to purify water
in an attempt to reclaim it. But Chlorine left a very nasty residue and caused harmful effects to the
human body. Ozone, however, leaves no residue and produces an abundance of oxygen; because of this,
it is one of the main methods we use to purify our water today. Ozonated water is also applicable to
cleansing food. In the fruit industries, Ozone is used to wash fresh fruits and kill mold, yeast, parasites
and bacteria after harvesting, a far more preferable alternative to pesticides and herbicides.
Furthermore, Ozone is also able to break down these pesticides, herbicides and other harmful chemicals
before ingestion.
Ozone is also widely used by consumers. Ozone has been used to purify air, remove odors, and
sanitize food, home surfaces and water. According to the FDA, it is "amending the food additive
regulations to provide for the safe use of ozone in gaseous and aqueous phases as an antimicrobial
agent on food, including meat and poultry." Also, studies at the California Polytechnic University
demonstrated that ozone can reduce more than 99.99% of food-borne microorganisms such as
salmonella and E. coli. Ozone presents unlimited potential in terms of benefiting and improving
cleanliness and health in an environment.
Overall, Ozone is critical in maintaining life on Earth and serves many purposes in keeping us
healthy. Without Ozone, we would have to resort to several alternatives, such as Chlorine and pesticides,
which could harm our bodies rather than promote health. By adding the miraculous effects of Ozone to
water, not only will it help us produce clean, drinkable water, but also promote good health and
cleanliness with its effectiveness in disinfection, killing 99.9% of pathogens it comes into contact with,
and its ability to break down harmful chemicals.