"Glenn L." <lango77@ADJUNCTS.optonline.net> wrote in message
news:ZTUYb.8750399$Of.1427628@news.easynews.com...[color=blue]
>
> "Sam Anderson" <voltaic@ou.edu> wrote in message
> news:Xns94939E16524ABvoltaicouedu@68.12.19.6...[color=green]
> > has anyone heard of/used ozonated water as a starilizing agent for[/color][/color]
bottles[color=blue][color=green]
> > and other equipment? the reason i ask is that i remember seeing a
> > documentary type thing about bottling and (i think it was pepsi) that[/color][/color]
uses[color=blue][color=green]
> > ozonated water to starilize their cans before filling them with product.
> >
> > anyway, if anyone has any information as to the effectiveness and
> > suitability of this method of sterilization to brewing, please let me[/color]
> know.[color=green]
> >[/color]
>
> I remember from a few college courses that ozone (O3) is an effective
> sterilant. It can be used to disinfect both drinking water and treated
> sewage. But, it is not widely used because it is very expensive.
>
> As a homebrewer, I can't imagine it being a cheap or practical method.[/color]
You[color=blue]
> could probably find it from an indutrial gas supplier, but I doubt that[/color]
you[color=blue]
> would be able to walk into a gas supply shop and purchase a 10 pound
> cylindar of the stuff. The samllest cylindar available would probably be
> 100+ pounds.
>
> Also, I don't think you could buy ozonated water. It was a long time ago
> since those sanitary engineering courses, but I think the ozone breaks[/color]
down[color=blue]
> readily into regular oygen (O2). Pepsi probably has the capabilities to
> ozonate water immediately prior to sanitizing their cans and bottles.[/color]
Maybe[color=blue]
> the fact that ozone breaks down into oxygen is the reason Pepsi would use
> it, rather than having to deal with residual chemicals.
>[/color]

You may be surprised to know that many municipal water systems now use ozone
as their primary treatment in place of chlorine. My local water district
(serving almost 2 million residents) expect to complete its conversion to
ozone by 2007. It's not as uncommon as you think. You can buy home ozone
generators for air treatment for as little as $200. Small systems capable
of treating water at 10 gal/min are also available, as well as systems for
treating home well water. Do a quick Google search for "ozone water
treatment."

Also, you don't have to "buy" bottled ozone. Its reactive and unstable.
You generate it from air or oxygen (O2). My HotSprings hot tub has an
ozone generator that is used to treat the water in place of low level
chlorine. Works great, and has run for 4 years with no maintenance.