Removing odor with ozone

Ozone is pure oxygen in an activated state--Nature's purest and most powerful oxidizing agent. Ozone (O3) is simply a molecule made up of three oxygen atoms. Normally oxygen atoms bond in pairs (O2). The three atom molecule is unstable, so the extra atom is shed on contact with a molecule of pollution (like the residue from smoke) changing that particle into a completely different molecular substance (one that doesn't smell).

Advantages of ozone

• 100% natural
• Reverts back to standard oxygen within minutes
• Kills germs 3000 times faster than chlorine
• Ozone is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 
• Ozone is approved by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• Ozone is organic
• 98% of all of the bottled water made in the United States is treated with ozone

Examples of ozone at work;

Ozone breaks down urea (the unpleasant smelling component in urine), completely transforming it into three different molecules-- one nitrogen molecule (N₂), one carbon dioxide molecule, one carbon dioxide (CO₂), and two water molecules (H₂O).

(NH₂)₂CO + O₃ → N₂ + CO₂ + 2 H₂O

Even the highly poisonous substance cyanide is reduced to cyanate (which is one thousand times less toxic). CN^- + O₃ → CNO^- + O₂

Other ozone information

Ozone Layer

 The ozone layer occurs over most of the earth in the stratosphere, at an altitude of 10-50 km. Oxygen (O₂) is transformed to ozone as molecules are broken in atomic oxygen (O) by ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight and combine with other oxygen molecules(O₂). The value of the ozone layer to animal and human life is that it filters out some of the  UV rays as too much has been shown to cause cancer. Some amount of UV is necessary for the body to create vitamin D.  

Ozone Action Alert

Although ozone is useful to filter out UV coming into the atmosphere and as an oxidizing agent, breathing high dosages of ozone is considered a health risk, especially for people with compromised or immature pulmonary systems (lungs). This group consists broadly of young children, the elderly, and those with chronic breathing disorders such as emphysema, allergies, and bronchitis.

Ozone near the ground occured naturally but has increased with the use of cars running on fossil fuels. Ozone is not a product of exhaust, but as smog breaks down in sunlight, ozone is produced. On hot summer days with no wind, the ozone remains close to the ground which makes breathing more difficult. On such days it is best to stay indoors when poossible.