Ozone: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 16:51, 5 May 2005

Revision as of 20:12, 6 May 2005

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2O₃ → 3O₂. This reaction proceeds more rapidly with increasing temperature and increasing pressure.

Ozone is a highly corrosive [[poison]]ous substance and a common [[pollutant]]. It has a sharp, pungent odor. It is present in low concentrations throughout the [[Earth's atmosphere]]. It is also formed from O₂ by electrical discharges, e.g., [[lightning]], and by action of high energy [[electromagnetic radiation]].

Some kinds of electrical equipment generate levels of ozone that a human can easily smell. This is especially true of devices using [[Voltage sparks and danger|high voltage]], such as [[television]] sets and [[photocopier]]s. Electric motors using [[brush]]es can generate ozone from repeated [[spark gap|spark]]ing inside the unit. Large motors, such as those used by elevators or hydraulic pumps, will generate more ozone than smaller motors.

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The nitrogen oxide cycle for the formation of ozone can also be broken by the presence of atmospheric water vapor, reducing nitrogen oxides to a more stable form.

== Ozone as a pollutant ==

See '''[[Tropospheric ozone]]'''. Elevated ozone concentrations has injurious effect on crop plants and result in declined yields.

== Use in industry ==

Ozone can be used for [[Bleach (chemical)|bleach]]ing substances and for killing bacteria. Many municipal drinking water systems kill bacteria with ozone instead of the more common [[chlorine]]. Ozone does not form [[organochlorine]] compounds, but it also does not remain in the water after treatment, so some systems introduce a small amount of chlorine to prevent bacterial growth in the pipes.

Industrially, ozone or ozonated water is used to:

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Ozone has a number of medical uses. It can be used to affect the body's [[antioxidant]]-prooxidant balance, since the body usually reacts to its presence by producing antioxidant enzymes.

[[Ozone therapy]] has blossomed into a thriving field of [[alternative medicine]], and there are a host of claimedsuccessful applications above and beyond what has actually been verified by studies. Ozone treatments are dangerous, however, sincevery ozonesafe iswhen highlyused corrosivecorrectly.

In the USA [[ozone therapy]] is illegal, as the FDA has not approved its use on humans. At least, onealthough deathit has been attributedused toand applicationstill of ozoneis throughused [[Wiktionary:insufflation|insufflation]]succesfully in themany USAother countries. "Air cleaners"purifiers which produce "activated oxygen", i.e. ozone, are often sold in the US nonethelessin spite of FDA regulations.

Ozone has been found to convert [[cholesterol]] in the blood stream to plaque (which causes hardening and narrowing of arteries). This cholesterol product has also been implicated in [[Alzheimer's disease]], suggesting a link between the inflammatory response associated with head injury and Alzheimer's.

Ozone has been studied extensively, and found to be carcinogenic to some animals (and not others), and a mutagen to some bacteria.

== See also ==

* [[Ozone depletion]], also known as ''Ozone Hole''.

* [[Ozone layer]]

* [[Tropospheric Ozone]]

== External links ==