{"id":1351,"date":"2016-05-31T17:17:18","date_gmt":"2016-05-31T17:17:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.oxidationtech.com\/blog\/?p=1351"},"modified":"2021-08-16T15:39:08","modified_gmt":"2021-08-16T20:39:08","slug":"cleaning-liqucleaning-with-liquid-ozone-what-you-need-to-knowid-ozone-need-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oxidationtech.com\/blog\/cleaning-liqucleaning-with-liquid-ozone-what-you-need-to-knowid-ozone-need-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Cleaning with Liquid Ozone: What you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"
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We connect with a lot of parents and clients who are doing great work eliminating toxic chemicals from their homes. \u00a0They want to do even more, but they don’t know how – and that’s why they’re working with us.\u00a0 We advocate and implement ozone technology as a Toxic-Free Cleaning option.<\/div>\n
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The cornerstone of this system is using liquid (or aqueous) ozone to replace<\/u> chemical disinfectants. \u00a0Disinfectants are #1 on our list of\u00a010 Most Toxic, so that’s a great place to start!\u00a0 Aqueous, or liquid ozone is perhaps the most misunderstood and maligned technology that we utilize, largely because of misunderstandings about ozone in general. \u00a0Therefore, it has become the subject of undue concern.\n

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To set the record straight, we’ve compiled a list of FAQs that we’ve received and answered for clients.<\/p>\n

1. \u00a0How safe is liquid ozone?<\/u><\/strong><\/div>\n
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Liquid ozone is in fact a strong oxidizer. \u00a0However, this does not mean that it is corrosive or combustible in the aqueous form (i.e. a solution of water). \u00a0In residential and commercial cleaning applications it is completely safe and won’t harm bare skin. \u00a0In fact, it may help to kill germs that your hands may have contacted during the cleaning process. \u00a0Therefore, you don’t need to wear personal protective equipment like gloves as you would with harsh, chemical-based cleaning solutions.<\/div>\n

The concern with liquid ozone tends to be around it off-gassing and becoming gaseous which dissolved at proper levels and sprayed at safe pressures won’t do (see #5 below). \u00a0That being said, nobody has ever died of liquid ozone exposure, whereas every day<\/u>\u00a0someone dies from household chemical exposure. \u00a0In fact, cleaning staff with asthma using our product say their breathing is perfect after working with it for 8 hours, contrary to the effect chemicals had on their breathing by the end of a shift.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/a>2. \u00a0<\/u>Is liquid\u00a0<\/u>ozone bad for asthma suffers?<\/u><\/strong><\/div>\n
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No. \u00a0There is much confusion between liquid ozone and atmospheric ozone. \u00a0However, high-atmospheric (gaseous) ozone concentrations are bad for asthma and allergy suffers. \u00a0It can contribute to those\u00a0Code Red<\/a>\u00a0days which the weatherman warns us about. \u00a0Atmospheric ozone is created by Mother Nature to try to break down air pollutants like NOX<\/a>, VOCs<\/a>, dust and allergens. \u00a0So on those Code Red days, more ozone is being produced naturally because there are more VOCs in the air. \u00a0Ozone gas is an indicator that there are other atmospheric contaminants that also affect asthma and allergy sufferers like VOCs, nitrogen oxides, dust and pollen. \u00a0Being quicker and easier to measure than the thousands of air pollutants, ozone gets a bad rap.<\/p>\n

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Man-made atmospheric ozone an also be produced by air purifying generators and filters to deodorize and disinfect rooms like operating rooms, hotel rooms, and even weather-damaged homes. \u00a0Allergy and asthma sufferers should indeed be wary of such high concentration applications.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Liquid ozone cleaners,\u00a0 are different than atmospheric ozone generators. They create ozone gas infused into a water<\/u><\/b>media, as opposed to the air. \u00a0Since ozone is an unstable molecule, it reverts to oxygen faster than the water evaporates without off-gassing. \u00a0In this way liquid ozone is a safe and preferential alternative to chemical disinfectants, many of which are themselves asthma triggers.<\/div>\n
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3. \u00a0How does liquid ozone work?<\/u><\/b><\/div>\n
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Ozone is a molecule of three oxygen atoms (O3)<\/sub> that is not stable and will breakdown quickly and form\u00a0radicals that have a high oxidation potential, or\u00a0redox<\/a>. \u00a0This is what makes it a strong oxidizer and disinfectant. \u00a0During the oxidation, only one oxygen atom is used for the chemical reaction forming with hydrogen into OH-radicals. \u00a0Harmless to people, the ozone quickly attacks and eliminates contaminants it comes in which it contacts. \u00a0The oxidization reacts with the cell walls of bacteria and viruses the same way hydrogen peroxide and iodine do, causing cell poration of the microbe, which leads to its death. \u00a0The oxidation also removes electrons of molecules, eventually rendering them inert. \u00a0In this way O3<\/sub>\u00a0kills the bacteria that cause odors, viruses that cause illness, as well as breaks down bio matter on surfaces that provide the food for microbes.<\/div>\n

4. \u00a0How much ozone do liquid ozone cleaning solutions contain?<\/u><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

It varies from application and manufacturer. \u00a0It can be is as high as 5ppm or more for high-volume industrial settings but is normally around 2-3 ppm for most cleaning and sanitation applications.\u00a0 We keep ozone levels in water to reasonable levels to prevent off-gassing as ozone in air is regulated by OSHA. \u00a0<\/div>\n
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5. \u00a0How long does ozone last?<\/u><\/b><\/div>\n
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Ozone in aqueous form has a roughly 15 minute half-life<\/a> (dependent upon temperature and water quality). \u00a0While is is obviously NOT radioactive as “half-life” may seem to imply, it is used because of ozone’s rapid degradation. \u00a0In 15 minutes half its solution has lost potency, at which point it is a better cleaning solution than disinfectant for the next few hours.<\/div>\n
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6. \u00a0What residues will liquid ozone leave after it dries?<\/u><\/b><\/div>\n
Contrary to chlorine, which always leaves an oxidation or disinfection byproduct, ozone simply will revert back to oxygen.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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7. \u00a0How strong is liquid ozone?<\/u><\/strong><\/div>\n
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O3\u00a0<\/sub>is is often compared to bleach and other chlorinated products as they are used in many of the same disinfection applications. \u00a0When used as such ozone has proven to be 50% stronger and 3000x faster than bleach.<\/div>\n

In regulated cleaning applications,\u00a0EPA guidelines\u00a0direct us toward disinfection with chlorine and ozone. \u00a0For example, disinfecting with 1 ppm chlorine at a water temperature of 59\u00b0F and a pH of 7 requires a dwell time of 75 minutes. The disinfection efficiency achieved will be 99.9 percent. \u00a0Assuming\u00a0the same temperature and pH, a\u00a0concentration of 1 mg\/l of\u00a0liquid\u00a0ozone\u00a0water achieves a disinfection efficiency of 99.9% in\u00a0only 57 seconds<\/u>. \u00a0For this example\u00a0giardia<\/a>\u00a0is the parasite used in the water sample because it is one of the most difficult microorganisms to kill.<\/p>\n

8. \u00a0How is liquid ozone produced?<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n

Ozone in water can be produced with an electrolytic ozone generating cell<\/a>, or via corona discharge<\/a> and dissolved into water via an ozone injection system.\u00a0 Smaller systems or systems with ulltra-pure water can use an electrolytic cell.\u00a0 All larger and industrial systems will use a corona discharge ozone generator and injection system<\/a>.<\/p>\n

9. \u00a0What other applications does ozone have?<\/u><\/b><\/div>\n

<\/a>Ozone has many applications on the home and commercially. \u00a0We covered cleaning using liquid ozone quite thoroughly by now. \u00a0Ozone generators can be made for water treatment plants and are in use all over the world. \u00a0There are applications for it in laundry and dish washing, but mostly in commercial or industrial settings.<\/p>\n

Ozone generators have been used on both public and private pools as a means of disinfecting pool water. \u00a0Similarly, some aquariums use it to keep water fresh and germ-free. \u00a0Another important application is air purification. \u00a0As an oxidizer it attacks the bacteria at the cell level, killing them and their aerobic activity, which is what causes odors and areas of potential for infection.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

SB-100 Ozone Spray Bottle<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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SB100 Ozone Spray bottle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The SB100 Ozone Spray bottle <\/a>uses an electrolytic ozone generating cell to produce ozone in water as the bottle is used. No chance of low ozone levels as ozone is produced real-time while used. Great for small scale cleaning applications<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ozone Injection Systems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Ozone Injection System<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Mobile ozone water system<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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For larger scale applications an ozone water system can be used. Ozone levels in water of 3-5 ppm can be created easily at water flow-rates from 3 – 300 GPM. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should you have questions about cleaning and disinfecting with liquid ozone, please call our office.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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