초록 ▼

Methods of using ozone have been developed which sterilize instruments and medical wastes, oxidize organics found in wastewater, clean laundry, break down contaminants in soil into a form more readily digested by microbes, kill microorganisms present in food products, and destroy toxins present in f

Methods of using ozone have been developed which sterilize instruments and medical wastes, oxidize organics found in wastewater, clean laundry, break down contaminants in soil into a form more readily digested by microbes, kill microorganisms present in food products, and destroy toxins present in food products. The preferred methods for killing microorganisms and destroying toxins use pressurized, humidified, and concentrated ozone produced by an electrochemical cell.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method comprising:providing an electrochemical cell comprising an ionically conducting membrane in intimate contact between an anode and a cathode having a cathodic catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer, wherein the gas diffusion layer includes hydrophobic pathways a

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method comprising:providing an electrochemical cell comprising an ionically conducting membrane in intimate contact between an anode and a cathode having a cathodic catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer, wherein the gas diffusion layer includes hydrophobic pathways and hydrophilic pathways therethrough;providing a power supply having a positive terminal coupled to the anode and a negative terminal coupled to the cathode;supplying liquid water to the anode;supplying oxygen gas through the hydrophobic pathways of the gas diffusion layer to the cathodic catalyst layer;oxidizing water at the anode to produce ozone and hydrogen ions;electroosmotically transporting water along with the hydrogen ions through the ionically conducting membrane to the cathodic catalyst layer;reducing the oxygen at the cathodic catalyst layer to produce hydrogen peroxide; andwithdrawing the hydrogen peroxide and the electroosmotically transported water from the cathodic catalyst layer through the hydrophilic pathways of the gas diffusion layer.