Ozone is very effective in fighting pathogens (disease causing organisms), much more effective than chlorine for example. Besides that, ozone also works way faster.
Other advantages of using ozone are:
- It doesn’t leave residuals
- Resistance against ozone isn’t possible
- It works 3000 times faster than chlorine
- Good results even at short contact times
- It works against all pathogens, unlike other biocides and antibiotics
Ozone and bacteria
Ozone breaks through the cell membrane of a bacteria which causes it to die. Conventional biocides poison the bacteria and there’s a chance the bacteria will grow resistant. That’s not possible when ozone is used!
Ozone and viruses
A virus is inactivated by ozone because it damages the virus’ RNA / DNA structure. A virus doesn’t have a repair mechanism so the inactivated virus can no longer multiply and tolerance or resistance can’t occur.
Below, a table with various pathogens and the influence of certain ozone dosages on them. Ozone can be used to fight all pathogens, this list just gives you an example of the dosages and the contact times.
Pathogens
| Pathogen | Ozone dosage | Duration of treatment* |
| Bacillus Bacteria | 0.2 mg/l | 30 seconds |
| Bacillus cereus | Log 2 (99%) reduction at 0.12 mg/l | 5 minutes |
| B. cereus | Log 2 (99%) reduction at 2.3 mg/l | 5 minutes |
| Bacillus subtilis | Log 1 (90%) reduction at 0.1 mg/l | 3 minutes |
| Bacteriophage f2 | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 0.41 mg/l | 10 seconds |
| Botrytis cinerea | 3.8 mg/l | 2 minutes |
| Clavibacter michiganense | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 1.1 mg/l | 5 minutes |
| Cladosporium | Log 1 (90%) reduction at 0.1 mg/l | 12,5 minutes |
| Coxsackie Virus A9 | 95% reduction at 0.035 mg/l in water | 10 seconds |
| Echo Virus 29 | 1 mg/l | 1 minutes |
| Enteric virus | 95% reduction at 4.1 mg/l in waste water | 29 minutes |
| E-coli (in clean water) | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 0.25 mg/l | 2 minutes |
| E-coli (in waste water) | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 2.2 mg/l | 19 minutes |
| Encephalomyocarditis Virus | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 0.8 mg/l | 30 seconds |
| Enterovirus Virus | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 0.8 mg/l | 30 seconds |
| Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici | 1.1 mg/l | 10 minutes |
| Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. melonogea | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 1.1 mg/l | 20 minutes |
| GDVII Virus | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 0.8 mg/l | 30 seconds |
| Herpes Virus | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 0.8 mg/l | 30 seconds |
| Legionella pneumophila | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 0.4 mg/l | 20 minutes |
| Luminescent Basidiomycetes | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 100 mg/l | 10 minutes |
| Mucor piriformis | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 3.8 mg/l | 2 minutes |
| Mycobacterium foruitum | Log 1 (90%) reduction at 0.25 mg/l | 2 minutes |
| Phytophthora parasitica | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 3.8 mg/l | 2 minutes |
| Poliomyelitis Virus | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 0.4 mg/l | 4 minutes |
| Poliovirus type 1 | Log 2 (99%) reduction at 0.25 mg/l | 2 minutes |
| Rhabdovirus virus | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 0.8 mg/l | 30 seconds |
| Salmonella typhimurium | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 0.25 mg/l | 2 minutes |
| Staph epidermidis | Log 1 (90%) reduction at 0.1 mg/l | 2 minutes |
| Stomatitis Virus | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 0.8 mg/l | 30 seconds |
| Streptococcus Bacteria | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 0.2 mg/l | 30 seconds |
| Verticillium dahliae | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 1.1 mg/l | 20 minutes |
| Vesicular Virus | Log 4 (99,99%) reduction at 0.8 mg/l | 30 seconds |
| * The duration of the treatment depends on the dosage, at higher dosages, the duration can be shortened and vice versa. Keep in mind that many pathogens need a minimum ozone concentration! | ||