Save Chlorine and $$$ with AOP

With the rise in chlorine prices, it’s a good idea to look for money-saving alternatives. An AOP system will save you money and produce a cleaner safer pool.

The mighty hydroxyl radical and the history of AOP
Hydroxyl radicals are negatively charged radicals that form when one oxygen and one hydrogen atom combine. Oxygen (O₂) is destabilized to become O₁. It then joins with hydrogen in the water to create hydroxyls.
The hydroxyls are unstable and highly oxidative. But they seek equilibrium. So as they look to stabilize, they seek out things such as organisms and minerals. Hydroxyls attach to cells and substances, disrupting their composition and causing breakdown and destruction

In pools and spas, hydroxyl radicals will destroy oils, sweat, bacteria and viruses without toxic byproducts. Hydroxyls have become especially relevant lately because they are strong enough to kill chlorine-resistant cryptosporidium parvum — which have increasingly become a concern, particularly in commercial pools.

Hydroxyl radicals make up one of the most oxidative compounds available for pools, and their potency can keep pool water clean and clear with less chemistry.
These properties have been known and appreciated for decades. One of the first uses was for drinking water in Nice, France in 1906. Industrial, municipal and drinking water treatment application helped ozone to gain popularity.
Until recently, AOP systems all utilized ozone, some in combination with ultraviolet light, to create hydroxyl action in the water. More recently, technology was introduced to inject hydroxyls directly into the water.
AOP systems are ozone-based systems that create the O₃ inside a chamber by passing the oxygen through light energy or electrical energy. The ozone is then dissolved in water and passed through a UV lamp to create a chemical reaction that results in hydroxyl radicals.
Like ozone alone, these systems reduce the need for chlorine, though a residual is still needed to sanitize the water.

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