How Does Ozone Water Purification Work?

A glass of water.

Ozone water purification is the most effective FDA approved water purification method for eradicating toxins that are found in water. Ozone, also known as O3, is a highly powerful oxidant that inactivates pesticides, fungus, organic materials, contaminates, and viruses much more potently than chlorine. Ozone water purification accounts for the majority of purified water in the world. It’s currently the most popular water purification method used.

The Advantages of Ozone Water Purification

Ozone is an excellent disinfectant with the superior ability to kill viruses and biological contaminants found in water. It is also a very powerful oxidant that can oxidize metals in water such as manganese, iron, and sulfur into insoluble particles, aiding in their filtration and removal from water.

Oxidization by ozone in water purification also aids in removing taste and odor problems from water much more efficiently than chlorine, and ozone itself doesn’t produce any odor or taste. Due to the fact that ozone consists of oxygen, it reverts back to pure oxygen and disappears without a trace after it’s been used. Not only does ozone remove microorganisms from the water, but it also halts the accumulation of deposits in your pipes and water system which greatly improves the quality of your water.

Another very important benefit of water purification using ozone is that no chemicals are added to the water. Ozone is a naturally occurring substance and when utilized for water purification purposes it immediately degrades back to oxygen leaving no trace.

How Does Ozone Water Purification Kill Bacteria and Germs

Ozone is composed of three oxygen atoms. One of the atoms is connected to the others weakly and will transfer itself to other substances such as viruses and bacteria, causing them to oxidize by binding itself onto them.

How Ozone Water Purification Works

Ozone water purification requires something called an ozone generator. The ozone generator produces ozone much in the same way as the sun does in the upper atmosphere. High-intensity ultraviolet lamps inside the ozone generator simulate the ozone producing ultraviolet rays of the sun. When compressed air is passed through the ultraviolet chamber of the ozone generator, some of the oxygen is converted to ozone. Ozone can also be created through chemical and electrolytic reactions.

The ozone that has been produced is then passed into a diffuser which creates bubbles and saturates them with ozone. These ozone saturated bubbles are then mixed with water in a water purification tank causing the weaker oxygen molecule in the ozone to separate and bind itself to any organic molecules existing in the water. When this oxygen molecule attaches itself to organic matter, oxidization takes place and the substance is turned into something else resulting in purified, clean drinking water.

Water purified by ozone is now free of protozoa, fungi, germs, and bacteria and is safe for human consumption. Ozone water purification accounts for more than 90 percent of the world’s purified water. Most bottled waters are treated by ozone. There is a new trend in which some pool companies have begun to use ozone water purification instead of traditionally used chlorine due to the fact that it has less undesirable side effects.