Oxygen (O2) and Ozone (O3) are gaining wide acceptance in water treatment. There has been rapid development in both the methods of reliably producing low cost oxygen and ozone and applying them to water treatment problems. Ozone removes contaminants on just about any surface. Laundromats, nursing home facilities, hospitals and hotels use ozone to clean and remove odours from clothing and linens. The amount of water saved by using this method of disinfecting is substantial.
Ozone is very effective at treating water as it eliminates bacteria on contact. Drinking water, recreational water and even water for zoo animals become safe with ozone. Since ozone gas is a great disinfectant, acting as an oxidant, it is utilized in the food industry, specifically, food storage and food processing. Ozone treatment removes harmful bacteria, destroys pesticides and other chemicals, it helps improve the shelf-life of ready-to-eat food and protects exotic fruits and vegetables from disease and decay.
Ozone is produced either from air or oxygen. However it is much closer from O2 to O3 then from air so as the energy efficiency is better. On the top of that, higher ozone concentration can be reached only with concentrated oxygen. By using oxygen as feed gas instead of air, the ozone generator's efficiency will significantly increase and the risk of HNO3 formation will be reduced. Application of ozone in water treatment includes the destruction or removal of: complex organic molecules, cyanides and phenols from chemical waste, etc. Ozone is also used extensively in industry in oxidation processes and for disinfection purposes.
