What are the dangers of ozone?

What is Ozone? Ozone occurs naturally in the stratosphere, and at relatively low concentrations. Ozone is the earths main defence against harmful UV rays emitted from the sun. At low concentrations, ozone is harmless, but at high concentrations it can cause problems in certain situations. Ozone is used in the cultivation of cannabis to destroy the tell-tale odors given off by the plants. Ozone is created in 'ozone generators' which can be bought at grow shops, and some household related shops. Car exhaust is the main producer of ozone at ground level. It's molecular structure is similar to that of oxygen, but the third oxygen atom is unstable, and readily detaches from the ozone molecule and 'attacks' any structure that will accept an oxygen atom. This can be harmful to some organic substances. It's not only organic substances that are affected by ozone. Nearly everything that gets in its way will be destroyed! It is highly corrosive, and can affect everything from metals to rubber. If this gas is so toxic that it corrodes metals and rubbers, just image what it does to your lungs!..

* Ozone is a colorless gas
* It is a naturally occurring gas
* It does not have an obvious odor (although some say it smells like fresh rain, or purified air)
* Ozone is a toxic gas

How does it affect me, and what are some symptoms of over-exposure to ozone?

Short exposures of relatively high amounts of ozone (found in some grow rooms) can cause problems such as:

* Pains in the chest
* Throat irritation
* Coughing
* Shortness of breath

Although short exposures to ozone may cause problems, these should clear up over time. Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of ozone can cause severe damage to the lungs and other parts of the respiratory system, and over time may have irreversible effects. The more ozone a person inhales, the more damage is done to their system, and the less chance there is of recovery. People with asthma are advised to avoid prolonged exposure to ozone, as it may cause an 'asthma attack' or flare up problems with their respiratory system. As an example to the severity of ozone 'poisoning', the New York State Ozone Advisory will issue a warning to people if the level of ozone is above 0.08 ppm for more than 8 hours at a time. 0.15 ppm is intolerable for even short periods.

What can I do to prevent over-exposure?

You're ozone generator should not pumping ozone directly into the room. If you are using an ozone generator, us it in conjunction with your ventilation system. This way, no concentrated amounts of ozone are present in the grow room, but instead having all the ozone flow in the exhaust tubing to clean the air as it leaves the grow room. (snoofer) Put your ozone generator inside your exhaust ducting - most generators are round tubes with 4/6/8" diameters, designed to work inline with your grow room air exhaust system. Some generators have a control that regulates the output levels (The generator functions at 100% output, but this rheostat cycles the on/off cycles, much like a microwave). This method is the safest and most effective way to use your ozone generator, but for added advantages, if you divert some ozone back into the grow room it will help kill airborne substances such as spores, moulds, etc to help keep your grow sterile and clean. If your generator is pumping ozone directly into your grow room you will need to have a strong ventilation system to help keep the levels of ozone from building up to dangerous levels. Having the exhaust air vented outside is the best solution. Avoid spending excess amounts of time in your grow area if you are using an ozone generator. Concentrations (according to various controlling bodies) should not exceed concentrations of 0.10 ppm for more than a few hours at a time. It is also understood that these concentrations and below are not suitable for controlling odors. This means that if your grow room has an odor problem, and you are using an ozone generator, it is highly likely that you are exposing yourself to harmful levels of ozone. If you run your ozone generator on HIGH in a relatively unventilated area, you can easily reach levels of 1ppm, which is 10 times higher than the maximum recommended level.

Ozone alternatives

In general, DO NOT USE AN OZONE GENERATOR UNLESS THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO OTHER SOLUTION TO YOUR ODOR PROBLEM! Do not think of an ozone generator as an easy way to control odors, because you could be putting your own personal health at risk! Cheaper types of ozone generators may use crappy materials in their design, which can cause more problems. The corona discharge method is particularly bad, as the cheap alloys used can give of dangerous oxides. The smell from this may have a 'metallic' scent to it, so keep that in mind when purchasing an ozone generator (or making one, which is not recommended). As a rule, the materials used in an ozone generator should be as unreactive as possible, such as steel, gold and silver. There are some alternatives to ozone as an odor controller, the main one being the 'UV ionizer' and the 'carbon scrubber' which uses activated carbon to remove odors. These options may not be as effective as ozone in some situations.