OxyFile #487

Use of Ozone in Drinking Water Treatment: A Factor of Public 
Health

W. J. Masschelein.

Honorary president of IOA, Belgium.

Ozone is now used since one century in drinking water treatment in 
Europe. First for bacterial disinfection, followed by taste and 
odor control, removal of iron manganese. An irreversible break-
through came in the sixties when was shown that ozone, if properly 
applied inactivates enteroviruses which were a problem at that 
time. Later came the use of ozone as a factor able to promote 
biodegradability of dissolved organic substance, able to cope with 
parasites and alone or with synergic procedures with very 
refractory compounds like chlorinated pesticides. Parallel to this 
evolution of applications the technologies for generating and 
contacting ozone to water were constantly adapted. This 
contribution will focus on ozonation of drinking water as a public 
health factor.


Source: 2nd International Symposium on Ozone Applications
        Havana, Cuba - Mach 24-26, 1997.