Lotus Sanitizing System Ozonator for Your Home
Ozone, the miracle molecule
The miracle molecule, ozone, can be made in your own home now thanks to an award winning appliance, the Lotus Sanitizing System from Tersano. If you are up on green technology, you already know that ozone is a chlorine-free alternative to chemical disinfectants. Many industries now embrace the substitution of ozone for chlorine or other chemical disinfectants. But using ozone used to mean industrial-scale costs to install ozone generating systems. Tersano brings the technology into the home, in the price range of a typical kitchen appliance.What is ozone and how does it work?
Ozone, O3, is a molecule made up of three atoms of oxygen. Compare that with the normal "oxygen" you breath made of two atoms of oxygen, O2.
In the case of cleaning, ozone is a miracle molecule. That extra oxygen atom can attack dirt, pollutants or microbes in the same way that chlorine does. But after the attack, ozone returns back into non-toxic oxygen and water. In fact, if you leave a bottle of ozonated water standing around for about 15 minutes, it returns to being just ordinary water again. No household hazardous wastes left over. No toxic chemicals to persist in the environment after you dump excess cleaner down the sink. As with any chemical cleaner, you should avoid breathing the air directly over the cleaning operation.
In case you are wondering, it is the same ozone that is missing in the "ozone hole" or that makes breathing difficult when too much is created in the air we breathe. In both these cases, the ozone also exists only a short time but it is constantly being created and decaying so that a fairly constant level of ozone molecules can be measured most places where normal oxygen, O2, is present.
The Lotus Sanitizing System
Because ozone falls apart leaving ordinary water behind, it is impossible to buy ozonated cleaners at your local store. Ozone must be generated immediately before use. The Lotus Sanitizing System does this by passing an electrical current through oxygen and dissolving the ozone into clean water. The main Lotus unit is available for $169 at Tersano.com.
Tersano, the makers of the Lotus Sanitizing System, indicate that a 250 second cycle of ozone generation consumes about 2 Whrs of electricity (30 watts x 250 seconds). Like most electrical appliances, the Lotus continues to suck phantom power in standby mode, so your greenest bet is to unplug the Lotus when not in use.
Tersano touts the Lotus for use in cleaning fruits, vegetables, meats and other foods after the e.coli scares as well as for using around the house as a substitute for other spray cleaners -- to remove stains, or clean and sanitize surfaces. Tersano posts test data on their web site demonstrating the effectiveness of their device against common microbes. Although limited, the data in most cases appears to derive from scientifically valid tests conducted by independent laboratories. We would like to see all companies making effectiveness claims post their proofs in this manner.
Tersano also suggests that the Lotus Sanitizing System will break down pesticides on foodstuffs. However, the data supporting this claim stem from the general literature rather than specific testing of the Lotus process. Furthermore, the data suggest that certain common pesticides are broken down on contact with ozone, but there is no information regarding the break-down products, which may also be dangerous if the pesticides are not completely degraded.
For other tips in keeping your home toxin-free, see also How to Green Your Cleaning
Via ::Inventor Spot