Ozone - Application And Control For Pharmaceutical Waters

By Mettler-Toledo AG, Process Analytical, Inc.

Ozone (O₃), an unstable tri-atomic form of oxygen, is said to be 2,500 times stronger as a disinfectant than chlorine. In addition, ozone reacts with organics to break them down ultimately to CO₂, removing color, odor and eliminating food source that could encourage growth of biofilm. Futher-more, ozone is able to penetrate an existing biofilm layer and inactivate, destroy and eliminate microbial contamination. Most importantly, ozone sanitizes the water, rapidly destroying any microbes.

Ozone is strongly oxidizing gas that is injected into water or electronically generated in water.Dissolved ozone reverts back to harmless oxygen in a matter of minutes, depending on the temperature (chart below) and pH of water, so it must be generated on demand. Ozone leaves virtually no harmful breakdown products, unlike chlorine and its related compounds trihalomethanes and other carcinogenic breakdown products.