Is ozone an air purifier or a contaminant?
Ozone is being marketed by some as an air purifier, often in conjunction with UVC. It is true that UVC will produce ozone at low frequencies. The UVC devices that Genesis Air manufactures attenuate all frequencies below 200 nanometers so that no ozone is produced. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: “Ozone, to be effective as a bactericide or deodorizer, must be present in concentrations far greater than that which can be safely tolerated by man or other animals.” According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ozone is a toxic gas with vastly different chemical and toxicological properties than oxygen. When inhaled it can damage the lungs, and relatively low amounts can cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath, and throat irritation. Ozone has been used effectively for years to clean wastewater. In water containing organic material, ozone is used up rapidly — before it reaches the air. 5.
