Ozone
Ozone works under certain conditions in varying amounts. Ozone is a hazard when used in high concentrations. Ozone is expensive.
I use ozone to counteract miasma. Ozone works depending upon the amount of organic material present, square feet of the area, termperature, humidity, and the nature of the offending issue. Ozone works within these variables to alter odors and to destroy micro-organisms. A cleaner cannot depend on ozone as a disinfecting tool.
Anytime that a cleaner uses ozone for disinfecting, the room or rooms involved must not be occupied.
Never remain in a room with ozone. Never allow others to enter a room with ozone. Even though it may seem safe, damage to the mucuous membranes may occur. The lungs and throat may be burned. Ozone is not all that it is pumped up to be, but it does help lower miasma's odor problems.
Ozone cannot be counted upon to destroy all miasma. Source removal, ventillation, and time are the most reliable means of dealing with miasma. Always inform customers about miasma. Read more here.
An is not a cost effective tool in terms of general use. I use it only when the conditions and rewards are to my advantage.
I never use ozone in a cluttered room. Clothing, paper, carpet, and wood furniture inhibit ozone's odor destroying power.
An ozone machine should be used only in an enclosed room or vehicle, unless hoses are available to allow placing the machine outside of the soiled area. Ozone machines are self-canibalizing. Once started, the ozone produced circulates back through the machine, which shortens the machine's life. Ozone is hard hard on plastic and other materials. Elements need to be replaced.
Needless to say, I am picky about where I use my machine. I charge to leave it overnight.
Available scientific evidence shows that at concentrations that do not exceed public health standards, ozone has little potential to remove indoor air contaminants.
Manufacturers and vendors of ozone devices often use misleading terms to describe ozone. Terms such as "energized oxygen" or "pure air" suggest that ozone is a healthy kind of oxygen. Ozone is a toxic gas with vastly different chemical and toxicological properties from oxygen. Several federal agencies have established health standards or recommendations to limit human exposure to ozone. These exposure limits are summarized in Table 1.
high--0.50 to 0.80 ppm which is 5-10 times higher than public health limits
What Other Methods Can Be Used to Control Indoor Air Pollution?
The three most common approaches to reducing indoor air pollution, in order of effectiveness, are:
Source Control: Eliminate or control the sources of pollution;
Ventilation: Dilute and exhaust pollutants through outdoor air ventilation, and
Air Cleaning: Remove pollutants through proven air cleaning methods.
Of the three, the first approach -- source control -- is the most
effective. This involves minimizing the use of products and materials
that cause indoor pollution, employing good hygiene practices to
minimize biological contaminants (including the control of humidity and
moisture, and occasional cleaning and disinfection of wet or moist
surfaces), and using good housekeeping practices to control particles.
The second approach -- outdoor air ventilation -- is also effective and commonly employed. Ventilation methods include installing an exhaust fan close to the source of contaminants, increasing outdoor air flows in mechanical ventilation systems, and opening windows, especially when pollutant sources are in use.
The third approach -- air cleaning -- is not generally regarded as sufficient in itself, but is sometimes used to supplement source control and ventilation. Air filters, electronic particle air cleaners and ionizers are often used to remove airborne particles, and gas adsorbing material is sometimes used to remove gaseous contaminant. Ozone works under certain conditions in varying amounts. Ozone is a hazard when used in high concentratins.
by Code of Federal Regulations
Code of Federal Regulations
(Title 21, Volume 8) (Revised as of April 1, 2002)
Sec. 801.415 Maximum acceptable level of ozone.
(a) Ozone is a toxic gas with no known useful medical application in specific, adjunctive, or preventive therapy. In order for ozone to be effective as a germicide, it must be present in a concentration far greater than that which can be safely tolerated by man and animals.
(b) Although undesirable physiological effects on the central nervous system, heart, and vision have been reported, the predominant physiological effect of ozone is primary irritation of the mucous membranes. Inhalation of ozone can cause sufficient irritation to the lungs to result in pulmonary edema. The onset of pulmonary edema is usually delayed for some hours after exposure; thus, symptomatic response is not a reliable warning of exposure to toxic concentrations of ozone. Since olfactory fatigue develops readily, the odor of ozone is not a reliable index of atmospheric ozone concentration.
(c) A number of devices currently on the market generate ozone by design or as a byproduct. Since exposure to ozone above a certain concentration can be injurious to health, any such device will be considered adulterated and/or misbranded within the meaning of sections 501 and 502 of the act if it is used or intended for use under the following conditions:
(1) In such a manner that it generates ozone at a level in excess of 0.05 part per million by volume of air circulating through the device or causes an accumulation of ozone in excess of 0.05 part per million by volume of air (when measured under standard conditions at 25 (deg) C (77 (deg)F) and 760 millimeters of mercury) in the atmosphere of enclosed space intended to be occupied by people for extended periods of time, e.g., houses, apartments, hospitals, and offices. This applies to any such device, whether portable or permanent or part of any system, which generates ozone by design or as an inadvertent or incidental product.
(2) To generate ozone and release it into the atmosphere in hospitals or other establishments occupied by the ill or infirm.
(3) To generate ozone and release it into the atmosphere and does not indicate in its labeling the maximum acceptable concentration of ozone which may be generated (not to exceed 0.05 part per million by volume of air circulating through the device) as established herein and the smallest area in which such device can be used so as not to produce an ozone accumulation in excess of 0.05 part per million.
(4) In any medical condition for which there is no proof of safety and effectiveness.
(5) To generate ozone at a level less than 0.05 part per million by volume of air circulating through the device and it is labeled for use as a germicide or deodorizer.
(d) This section does not affect the present threshold limit value of 0.10 part per million (0.2 milligram per cubic meter) of ozone exposure for an 8-hour-day exposure of industrial workers as recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.
(e) The method and apparatus specified in 40 CFR part 50, or any other equally sensitive and accurate method, may be employed in measuring ozone pursuant to this section.
FTC 1998.
While the filter's efficiency is a factor in assessing the
effectiveness of an air purifier in particulate removal, this figure
overstates the actual effectiveness of the air purifier in removing
pollutants from the air in a user's environment. The actual
effectiveness of an air purifier depends on a variety of factors
including, the amount of air that the air purifier processes, the
nature of the pollutant, and the rate at which the pollutant is being
introduced into the environment.
Additionally,
there is no guarantee that an individual who suffers from allergies or
other respiratory problems will derive a discernible reduction in
symptoms through the use of these or other air purifiers. Whether
individuals will derive such relief depends on many variables,
including the source and severity of their allergies, whether the
allergens at issue tend to remain airborne, the rate at which the
allergens are emitted into their homes or offices, and other
environmental factors.
http://www.ftc.gov/os/1998/9808/9623154cmp.htm
First Published: early-December, 2002
Updated: September 2003