What is ozone? Its properties and influence on human activity

Ozone is a word of Greek origin, which in translation means "odorous". What is ozone? Essentially, O3 ozone is a gas of blue color with a characteristic odor, which is associated with the smell of air after a thunderstorm rain. It is especially felt near the sources of electric current.

The history of ozone detection by scientists

What is ozone? How was it discovered? In 1785 a physicist from Holland Martin van Marum conducted several experiments aimed at studying the effect of electric current on oxygen. According to their results, the scientist investigated the appearance of a specific "electrical matter". Continuing to work in this direction, in 1850 he managed to determine the ability of ozone to interact with organic compounds and its property as an oxidant.

For the first time the disinfecting properties of ozone were applied in 1898 in France. In the town of Bon Voyage, a factory was built, which disinfected and disinfected water from the Vasyube River. In Russia, the first ozonation plant was launched in St. Petersburg in 1911.

Ozone was widely used in the World War I as an antiseptic. Ozone-oxygen mixture was used to treat diseases of the intestines, pneumonia, hepatitis and was practiced with infectious lesions after surgery. Especially actively ozonizing began to deal with since 1980, the impetus for this was the emergence of reliable and energy-efficient ozone generators on the market. Currently, with the help of ozone, about 95% of water is purified in the USA and throughout Europe.

Technology of ozone formation

What is ozone? How is it formed? In the natural environment, ozone is in the Earth's atmosphere at an altitude of 25 km. In fact, this is the gas that forms as a result of ultraviolet radiation from the sun. On the surface, it forms a layer 19-35 km thick, which protects the Earth from the penetration of solar radiation. According to the treatment of chemists, ozone is active oxygen (a combination of three oxygen atoms). In the gaseous state, it is blue, in a liquid state it has a shade of indigo, and in the solid state it is dark blue crystals. O3 is its molecular formula.

What is the harm of ozone? It belongs to the highest class of danger - it is a very toxic gas, the toxicity of which is equated with the category of chemical warfare agents. The cause of its appearance are electrical discharges in the atmosphere (3O2 = 2O3). In nature, you can feel it after strong flashes of lightning. Ozone interacts well with other compounds and is considered one of the most powerful oxidants. Therefore, it is used to kill bacteria, viruses, microorganisms, to purify water and air.

The negative effect of ozone

What affects ozone? A characteristic feature of this gas is the ability to quickly interact with other substances. If in nature the normative indicators are exceeded, as a result of its interaction with human tissues, dangerous substances and diseases can arise. Ozone is a potent oxidizer, which, when interacted with, is rapidly destroyed:

• Polymeric materials ;
• Natural rubber;
• Metals, except gold, platinum and iridium;
• Appliances;
• electronics.

At high concentrations of ozone in the air, the health and well-being of a person worsen, in particular:

• Irritates the mucous membrane of the eyes;
• Disrupted the functioning of the respiratory system, which will lead to paralysis of the lungs;
• General body fatigue is observed;
• There are headaches;
• The appearance of allergic reactions;
• Burning in the throat and nausea;
• There is a negative effect on the nervous system.

Useful properties of ozone

Does ozone purify the air? Yes, despite its toxicity, this gas is very useful for humans. In small concentrations, it is noted for excellent disinfecting and deodorizing properties. In particular, it has a harmful effect on harmful micro-organisms and produces to destruction:

• Viruses;
• Different types of microbes;
• Bacteria;
• Fungi;
• Microorganisms.

Most often, ozone is used during an epidemic of influenza and outbreaks of dangerous infectious diseases. With its help purify water of various kinds of impurities and iron compounds, while enriching it with oxygen and minerals.

Interesting information about ozone, its scope

Excellent disinfecting properties and the absence of side effects have led to the emergence of demand for ozone and its wide application in various sectors of the economy. Nowadays, ozone is successfully used for:

• Meeting the needs of the pharmaceutical industry;
• Water purification in aquariums and fish farms;
• Disinfection of swimming pools;
• Medical purposes;
• Cosmetic procedures.

In the medical industry ozonization is practiced with ulcers, burns, eczema, varicose veins, wounds and dermatological diseases. In cosmetology, ozone is used to combat the aging of the skin, cellulite and excess weight.

Effect of ozone on the vital activity of living beings

What is ozone? How does it affect life on Earth? According to research of scientists, 10% of ozone is in the troposphere. This ozone is an integral component of smogs and acts as a pollutant. It negatively affects the respiratory organs of humans, animals and slows the growth of plants. However, its quantity is very small to significantly harm health. A significant part of harmful ozone in the composition of smogs is the products of the functioning of cars and power plants.

Significantly more ozone (about 90%) is in the stratosphere. This ozone layer absorbs biologically harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun, thereby protecting people, flora and fauna from negative consequences.