1. What is ozone?
Normal oxygen (O2) is a molecule with two atoms of oxygen. When the activity level of the molecule is increased, either by photochemical reaction with UV radiation, by lightning, or commercially by electricity, the oxygen molecules split into single atoms and recombine into three atoms—ozone (O3), also known as activated oxygen.

2. How does ozone (O3) remove contaminants and odors?
The combination of three atoms is very unstable, and the third atom will quickly combine with organic molecules such as bacteria, mold, dust, etc. This combination is called “Oxidation” or “Ozonation,” which kills the contaminants through the destruction of their cell walls, reducing them to water and carbon dioxide in most cases. Ozone is a very aggressive oxidizer, with typically non-toxic by-products. 

3. Is O3 dangerous?
In high concentrations, O3 is toxic. Respirators are needed in an enclosed atmosphere with high O3 levels. Symptoms of overexposure are: irritation of eyes, nose and throat, coughing, headache, drowsiness and loss of appetite. Removal from air containing high ozone levels is usually the only First-Aid required. 

4. What is the difference between ozone and activated oxygen?
The terms are used interchangeably to describe a molecule consisting of three atoms of oxygen (O3).

5. Isn’t ozone the same as “smog”?
No. “Smog”, the brown haze seen over cities under thermal inversion, is caused by air pollution, mainly nitric oxide, emitted from gas or diesel engines or power plants. High temperatures and bright sunlight can cause the nitric oxide molecule to break apart, leaving a free oxygen atom to combine with the oxygen in the atmosphere to form O3. Ozone/activated oxygen, is a highly reactive, unstable gas, which reverts rapidly to oxygen (O2). 
Just as an elevated white blood cell count tells your doctor that you have an infection, so an elevated ozone count is an indication of a high pollution level. The high white blood cell count is the symptom, not the cause. A high ozone count is also a symptom, not the cause of air pollution.

6. How does ozonation compare to other methods of oxidation? See Table A and Table B
Ozone is the strongest commercially available disinfectant/chemical oxidant for water treatment. It:

• Is 52% stronger than chlorine.
• Does not affect pH.
• Has a half-life of 25 min @ 70º F, 1 atm pressure.
• Is 12 times more soluble in water than oxygen.
• Is 3,125 times faster than chlorine in disinfecting water.