Glossary

A chemical, which readily oxidizes more reduced substances. Examples of strong oxidizers are ozone, hydrogen peroxide, chloride, persulfates, and oxygen itself.

Formed by an electric discharge or by the slow combustion of phosphorus, ozone is a modified and condensed form of oxygen, in which three atoms of oxygen are combined to form the molecule, O3. Because it is a powerful oxidizing agent it is used in deionized water systems to kill bacteria and to reduce by oxidation the amount of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) in the water. Air containing a perceptible amount of ozone has an odor suggesting chlorine or sulfurous acid gas. Ozone can be destructive to ion exchange using membrane filters and other plastic materials in the system.

Ozone is a very strong gaseous oxidizing agent. It is used in deionized water systems to kill bacteria and to reduce, by oxidation, the amount of TOC in the water. Ozone is O3 and due to reaction with other things rapidly becomes oxygen (O2). Therefore, it has a short but effective oxidizing potential. It can be destructive to ion exchange using membrane filters and other plastic materials in the system.