1. Atomic Oxygen
This is a representation of ‘atomic oxygen’. It is a single oxygen atom. This form of oxygen is actually pretty rare since a single oxygen atom is always looking for opportunities to bond with other atoms into molecules.
2. Diatomic Oxygen Molecule
This is the state of oxygen that we are most familiar with as living, breathing creatures. In this state oxygen is a molecule (comprised of multiple atoms) and is inherently stable.
3. Trioxygen Molecule
This is a relatively rare state of oxygen that is comprised of three oxygen atoms. More commonly known as ‘ozone’, trioxygen usually only exists for a short period of time.
4. Trioxygen Molecules are very reactive…
Remember when we said that a single oxygen atom is inherently unstable? Well, trioxygen is very similar. With oxygen atoms, two’s a party and three’s a crowd. Trioxygen- also known as ‘ozone’- is always looking for a way to shed one of its oxygen atoms. This is the science that we use to eliminate the bacteria that cause odor.
5. Ozone kills bacteria
As we mentioned earlier, oxygen is a very reactive atom. Because ozone is unstable and always looking to shed its third oxygen atom it reacts very well with bacteria. In fact when ozone comes in contact with bacteria it freely sheds its third atom which then seeks out the bacteria and ruptures it with a tiny, microscopic oxidative burst. Boom! No more bacteria to create odor. We think that’s pretty cool:-)
