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Ozone
Production
Ozone is a controversial topic. I hope
the following information helps you to understand it more
clearly.
Ozone is a form of molecular oxygen. Oxygen
that we breathe in from the air is in its most stable form
which is 02. Ozone (03) is a less stable or more reactive
form of oxygen.
How is ozone formed?
Ozone is formed in nature from the reaction
of organic based molecules (hydrocarbons), nitrogen oxides
and ultraviolet light. Its production is accelerated by heat
and dampness. Its reaction with ultraviolet light prevents
too large an amount of these harmful rays from reaching us
on the ground.
Ozone is also created electrically during
thunderstorms as oxygen 02 becomes charged to higher valent
forms such as 03 during the electrical activity.
Its production is also stimulated in air
space more close to the earth when chemical pollution, automobile
emissions and emissions from burners combine with nitrogen
oxides and ultraviolet light to create ozone.
What is the function of ozone?
Ozone although defined as a pollutant
is actually very helpful in a number of ways.
- It blocks skin damaging ultra violet
rays from reaching the earth.
- It combines with many chemicals, pollutants
and harmful pathogens (such as virus, molds, bacteria etc.)
to oxidize them and render them harmless by changing them
into oxygen, carbon dioxide and water.
- It gives air a fresh clean smell and
feel.
- As a result of its effects, is used
in varied concentrations to promote healing in a wide range
of illness and pathologies.
Ozone research is varied in its conclusions.
PUBMED http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/ articles
on the respiratory effects on mice and Guinea pigs used dosages
of .4-.8ppm. Other research showed an experiment where beneficial
effects were seen in inhibiting cancer cell growth with concentrations
up to .8ppm at which time normal cells began to be effected.
Alpine home units have a sensor which
shuts off ozone production when surrounding air concentrations
reach .05ppm.
There seems to be agreement that high
concentrations of ozone can produce toxic damage when inhaled
through the respiratory tract at high concentrations causing
mucosal irritation and eventually bleeding. It may also irritate
the eyes. At low concentrations however, (more similar to
outside air .02-.05ppm) there is more evidence of healing
reactions than adverse reactions. Negative charges produced
on the surface of the membranes of many pathogens ruptures
the membranes and oxidation of these substances breaks them
down into less harmful substances (for the most part carbon
dioxide, oxygen and water). Normal cells are resistant to
this effect, presumably because they are more stable electrically
and have better antioxidant protective function.
High concentration ozone disinfects and
is used in industrial cleansing activities such as clean
up of chemical waste accidents, pool and spa filtering, fish
tank and production facility purification and oxidation and
one source mentioned cleanup of small lakes and ponds. Ozone
is also used in concentration to heal wounds and infections.
There are a number of extremely positive reports of wound
healing. The bagging method of isolating the wound is used
to avoid respiration of high concentrations. Exposure time
varies and results are excellent. Usage of ozone to cleanse
the blood to prevent or slow the progress of cancer and AIDS
has mixed results. Lower dosages have been recorded as more
helpful. Ozone is an unstable molecule and acts as a free
radical along with producing free radicals in the blood via
lipid peroxidation. Thus its ability to destroy pathogenic
unstable molecules in low concentrations and harming healthy
cells in higher concentrations. Antioxidant use should be
prescribed in conjunction with ozone exposure if persons
attempt these blood saturation methods.
The production of ozone produces nitrous
oxide by products. These are in varying concentration according
to the type of method used to produce the ozone. Electronically
produced thermal type 'hot spark ozone' produces high concentrations
of nitrogen dioxide, nitric acid and other nitrogen oxides
which are very toxic. Any dampness increases toxic production.
The low voltage 'Cold plasma' type of ozone production creates
far less nitrogen oxides, the concentration being less than
one half of one percent and considered non harmful. Other
forms of production produce even less or no nitrogen oxides.
(Pure oxygen production and photochemical production)
Ozone seems to be part of natures cleansing
cycle. If we were to look at ozone as a disinfectant or cleansing
substance similar in some ways to chlorine we could perhaps
more easily understand its beneficial and harmful effects
at different concentrations.
All the Best,
Dr. B
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