When taking a cold plunge, water maintenance and hygiene are essential to ensure an optimal experience and extend the life of the pool. Keeping water clean and hygienic is crucial for the health and well-being of users. Often, when we think of water treatment, swimming pools come to mind, with the common use of chlorine or bromine. But what about ozone? How does it work, and why is it increasingly favored for disinfecting cold plunge pools?
Ozone: The ideal disinfectant for ice baths
Ozone (O3) is the most powerful and safest disinfectant for water treatment systems, far outperforming chlorine and bromine. Unlike these chemicals, ozone converts to pure oxygen (O2) without producing toxic byproducts, providing an ideal solution for disinfecting water in ice baths.
How does ozone disinfection work?
Ozone is a molecule composed of three oxygen atoms, one of which is unstable. This instability makes ozone extremely reactive, allowing it to quickly destroy bacteria, viruses, and other organic contaminants such as algae and dead cells. In Rocean ice baths, ozone is injected into the water in the form of bubbles. Once in contact with impurities, it oxidizes and destroys them. After this action, it naturally decomposes into oxygen, leaving no harmful chemical residue in the water.
The Benefits of Ozone for Ice Baths
- Maximum effectiveness at low temperatures: Unlike chlorine, whose effectiveness decreases at low temperatures, ozone remains stable and highly effective in cold water. This stability allows for continuous disinfection in ice baths.
- Disinfection Power: According to the USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency), ozone is up to twice as powerful as chlorine and 3,000 times faster at eliminating pathogens in source water. Ozone quickly destroys the toughest pathogens and eliminates unpleasant odors, tastes, and colors from water.
- No residual chemicals: Unlike chlorine, which produces by-products like trihalomethanes, ozone leaves no chemical residue, making water healthier for the skin and more environmentally friendly.
- Beneficial effects on the skin: In addition to its disinfectant properties, ozone promotes healthier skin. It is used in some anti-aging therapies for its regenerative effects.
