Prozone Water Purification Systems. Prozone is a manufacturer of ozone generators for Pool an Spa systems for residential, commercial and industrial use. Prozone is a world leader in ozone generator manufacturing and ozone applications engineering.

Pristine, sanitized, non-toxic water is the goal of all recreational water owners and operators. However, not all chemical sanitation and oxidation treatments are created equal.

The challenges of eliminating toxic chemicals and their byproducts while maintaining water sanitation and oxidation have led consumers and health officials to search for chemical-limited (or reduced chemical) solutions to water treatment. Unfortunately, this search has opened the door to highly promoted "alternative sanitizers," some of which are less effective than others.

This has inspired some manufacturers to develop Advanced Oxidation Processing (AOP) solutions. AOP devices produce hydroxyl radicals (OH^-), which constitute a highly potent oxidizer. Hydroxyl radicals are created when ozone is used in conjunction with intense ultraviolet (UV) light and water. To produce hydroxyl radicals, ozone is injected into water that is irradiated by VUV light, or water vapor within a VUV ozone generator.

Ozone and UV

Ozone systems oxidize contaminants such as E. coli, Legionella, and most bacteria and viruses very rapidly. Yet some of the most toxic contaminants can be difficult to destroy, even with ozone. A high ozone concentration is necessary for the more resistant strains of Cryptosporidium, for example - this parasite calls for an ozone generator package geared toward large commercial pools and water features.

Meanwhile, ultraviolet sterilizers have been widely used in the water industry for decades. The method destroys dangerous organisms' DNA, preventing their reproduction. Though UVC is often touted as having the capacity to convert chloramines to free chlorine, only high pressure UVB lamps have been shown to possess that capability.

However, by combining the two technologies of ozone generation and low pressure UVC (a wavelength found in germicidal lamps), the Advanced Oxidation Process has emerged as a new solution for oxidizing and sanitizing hard-to-remove contaminants, such as Cryptosporidium's cystic form, compound chloramines and pharmaceutical residuals.

What is AOP?

AOP is the conversion of ozone by ultraviolet rays on the UVC wavelength, in the presence of water, to form high-energy hydroxyl radicals.

Hydroxyls function in a manner similar to hydrogen peroxide, which is increasingly common for use as an oxidation shock in pools. However, the hydroxyl radical energy level generated in the AOP process is higher than that generated by hydrogen peroxide alone.