So, what is ozone, and why do we use it?
Ozone is a colourless or slightly blue in colour gas, made from three oxygen atoms (O3). In the environment, it is naturally made when the sun's rays split oxygen molecules into single atoms. These loose atoms then combine with other oxygen atoms to form ozone.
Ozone is so strong that it can kill bacteria and other living cells in a split second. It is commonly used to purify drinking water. In some cases, it has been used to clean the water used in ballasts. Ballasts are compartments in things such as boats, that is filled and emptied of water as needed to help balance the boat. The use of ozone in these situations has caused less biofouling inside the ballast tanks by killing the micro-organisms present, which in turn helps significantly reduce the risk of transportation non-indigenous organisms to new ecosystems.
Ozone is at least ten times more effective than chlorine as a disinfectant. This is because of ozone's unique ability to penetrate the cell wall incredibly quickly. The cell wall is vital to an organism because it allows the organism to maintain its shape.
An ozone molecule, when it comes into contact with a cell, causes a reaction called an oxidative burst, which creates a hole in the cell wall. This tiny hole injures the bacterium, and as thousands more molecules of ozone hits the cell wall over just a few seconds, the cell wall completely falls apart and the cell dies.
Ozone, compared to chlorine, is also much more sustainable and environmentally friendly. This is because ozone is naturally occurring, whereas chlorine and many other disinfectants, contain harmful chemicals. Using ozone is therefore more environmentally friendly because it can't leak chemicals into the surrounding environment. Ozone prevents an alternative to chemicals as it is also more sustainable. The gas is cheap to make using an ozone generator, so it is economically and environmentally sustainable.
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