Removal of
color from water using ozone
Surface waters are generally colored by natural organic materials such
as humic, fulvic and tannic acids. These compounds result from the
decay of vegetative materials and are generally related to condensation
products of phenol-like compounds; they have conjugated carbon/carbon
double bonds. When the series of double bonds extend upwards of twenty,
the color absorption shows up in the visible spectrum. Ozone is
attracted to breaking organic double bonds. As more of these double
bonds are eliminated, the color disappears. Surface water can usually be
decolorized when treated with 2 to 4 ppm of Ozone.