The Oh Zone

Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP) are a class of processes that create the hydroxyl radical. In general these processes require combining at least two different chemicals or a chemical and UV to complete the reaction. Some of the common AOP are ozone/UV, peroxide/UV, Fe/peroxide and the subject of this article ozone/peroxide.

The hydroxyl radical, the neutral state of the OH- ion, is a short-lived compound with one of the highest electrochemical oxidation potentials. this makes it highly reactive to virtually all organic compounds except those that are highly chlorinated.

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In the mid 1970′s there was considerable discussion about the thinning of the ozone layer in our stratosphere and about the harmful effects that the thinning layer would create. It was a major cause for concern.

It was known that the ozone in the stratosphere, the altitude where jet airplanes fly, helps to filter out much of the very harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. Many feared that if the ozone layer continued to decrease and become thinner that the incidence of skin cancer would increase disastrously. It was also feared that the increase in ultraviolet radiation would adversely affect food crops around the world and would destroy the phytoplankton in the oceans, the important base of the marine food chain.

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