The name ozone comes from the greek word “ozein” which means “fragrance”. It is the so-called allotrope form of three oxygen atoms.
While an ordinary oxygen molecule consists of two atoms (hence the designation O2), one ozone molecule combines three atoms of this element (which is why it has the chemical formula O3). This third atom tends to separate from the rest, which is why ozone is a strong oxidizing agent and easily enters various chemical reactions in combination with different types of impurities and harmful biological creations.
It is a gas, also known as “active oxygen”. In nature it occurs under the influence of UV radiation (photochemical reaction) and electrical discharges during storms (bioelectric reaction).
There are two ways to artificially generate ozone:
- using ultraviolet radiation,
- the use of corona discharges that produce ozone by applying a high voltage value to a metal mesh between two dielectrics.
Because in both processes energy is added to oxygen molecules, they split into separate oxygen (o) atoms that connect with other oxygen (o2) molecules to produce ozone (o3). However, it is worth remembering that ozone is converted to oxygen relatively quickly and thus cannot be stored and delivered in a tank or cylinder. However, ozone can be produced at the disinfection site and a special device is used for this, the so-called ozone generator. The gas produced is as effective as from nature, provided the concentration is carefully controlled.
