When we think of ozone (O₃), we often picture its role in the atmosphere as a protective layer that shields the Earth from harmful UV rays. However, ozone also plays a vital role in many industrial and scientific processes, particularly in air purification and surface cleaning. Some key examples are the PurePLATE MCS and PureTIP, IonField Systems’ specialized machines designed to clean microplates and pipette tips used in laboratory settings, where ozone is a byproduct of the cleaning process.

What is Ozone and Why is It Important?

Ozone is a molecule composed of three oxygen atoms (O₃). While oxygen (O₂), the breathable gas that makes up about 21% of the Earth’s atmosphere, is essential for life, ozone has a very different role.

In the atmosphere, ozone has two key functions:

1. Stratospheric Ozone (Ozone Layer): In the higher layers of the atmosphere, ozone forms a protective layer that absorbs and scatters ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. This protects life on Earth from harmful UV rays.
2. Tropospheric Ozone (Ground Level Ozone): Ozone at the surface level is mostly formed by chemical reactions between air pollutants, particularly nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), under the influence of sunlight. This process is most common in urban areas and contributes to smog formation. This kind of ozone can be harmful to human health and the environment.

In the case of IonField Systems’ process, ozone is not produced for environmental protection but as a byproduct of plasma cleaning technology. Plasma is created when a gas (usually oxygen or air) is energized to create highly reactive species, one of which is ozone. The ozone produced helps to disinfect, sterilize, and clean the microplates and pipette tips effectively, making it an ideal solution for laboratories that require high standards of cleanliness.

How Quickly Does Ozone Become Oxygen?

Once ozone is created during the plasma cleaning process, it doesn’t linger for long. Ozone is a highly reactive molecule, and once its job of cleaning or sterilizing is done, it breaks down back into oxygen (O₂) usually within minutes. This rapid degradation is one of the reasons ozone is so effective as a cleaning agent—once it has oxidized contaminants, it reverts to oxygen, leaving no harmful residues behind.

The breakdown of ozone typically happens through two main mechanisms:

1. Spontaneous Decomposition: Ozone is inherently unstable, so it decomposes relatively quickly into oxygen molecules. The half-life of ozone at ground level can range from 20 minutes to an hour, depending on factors like temperature, humidity, and the presence of other chemicals. This decomposition ensures that ozone is present only briefly during the cleaning process.
2. Chemical Reactions: In terms of IonField Systems plasma cleaning technologies, the ozone reacts with the contaminants on the microplates and pipette tips, oxidizing them and breaking them down into simpler, non-toxic molecules. As ozone interacts with contaminants, it undergoes chemical reactions that convert it back into oxygen.

Why is Ozone Effective for Cleaning Plastic Labware?

IonField Systems utilizes ozone as a powerful cleaning agent because of its strong oxidizing properties. Ozone can break down organic materials, bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms at a molecular level. This makes it highly effective for cleaning laboratory microplates, which often need to be thoroughly sterilized between experiments to avoid cross-contamination.

Some of the key benefits of using ozone in the PurePLATE MCS and PureTIP include:

• Effective Disinfection: Ozone is highly effective at killing bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens on the microplate surfaces.
• No Chemical Residues: Unlike traditional cleaning agents, ozone leaves no harmful residues behind after it breaks down into oxygen. This makes it a safe and environmentally friendly option for laboratory cleaning.
• Faster Cleaning: The reactive nature of ozone allows it to clean surfaces quickly and efficiently, reducing the time needed for sterilization.

Ozone may be most commonly associated with its role in the atmosphere, but in the context of the IonField PurePLATE MCS and PureTIP, it serves an entirely different function. Created as a byproduct of the machine’s plasma cleaning process, ozone helps to break down contaminants on microplates, ensuring they are clean and sterile for laboratory use.

Once its work is done, ozone degrades back into oxygen as it is vented out of the lab. This makes ozone an ideal cleaning agent in settings where high standards of hygiene and purity are required, such as scientific research and diagnostics.

By using ozone in a controlled, temporary manner, the IonField PurePLATE MCS and PureTIP provide an efficient, effective, and environmentally friendly solution for microplate and pipette tip cleaning.