The principle of all Advanced Oxidation Technology (AOTs) is to generate hydroxyl radicals (• OH), a highly reactive oxidizing agent that reacts with and destroys most organic, inorganic and heavy metal pollutants in water.
Oxidation of Organics – PesticidesOzone is a very powerful agent in treating organic materials. Organics are either natural (humic and fulvic acids) or synthetic (detergents, pesticides) in nature. Some organics react with ozone very rapidly to destruction, within minutes or even seconds (phenol, formic acid), whereas other reacts more slowly with ozone (humic, fulvic acids, several pesticides, trichloroethane, etc.) Soaking meats and produce in Ozone water for 10 to 15 min. can greatly reduce contamination.
 

Oxidation of Inorganics with ozone will not result in the removal of metals, but it does facilitate their oxidation, precipitation and subsequent removal through filtration. Iron and manganese are easily and readily oxidized into a particulate for filtration downstream. Sulfides are rapidly oxidized to sulfates, thus eliminating the “rotten egg” taste and odor associated with sulfides. Heavy metals such as arsenic, copper, and lead are easily reduced to below detection limits with ozonation followed by filtration.
Trace metal removal of cadmium and zinc through oxidation with ozone and subsequent filtration has been found to be effective in reaching MCL levels established by the USEPA in the SDWA. Nitrite ion is oxidized very quickly to nitrate, as are organic nitriles, nitrites, nitrous compounds, hydroxylamine and the like. In the case of iron, manganese and the several arsenite or arsenate compounds, oxidation takes place very rapidly, leaving insoluble compounds, which are easily removed by a granular activated carbon filter. Sulfide ions are oxidized sequentially to sulfate ions, an innocuous substance. The first stage of this oxidation is very rapid, quick and efficiently removing any sulfurous odors. Nitrite ions are oxidized to nitrate ions, which are stable and innocuous.