Talking Stick - July/August 2013 - 25

pools for the Olympics. Many municipalities
in the United States and Europe also use the
technology to sanitize drinking water, including
the City of Ann Arbor. However, the technology
has only recently become practicable for use
in smaller applications like cleaning residence
halls on campus.
Liquid ozone is created by introducing an
extra oxygen atom to an oxygen molecule and
water molecules. The instability of the third
oxygen atom creates a high-quality cleaning
agent in which atoms of oxygen search for
something to bond with. As they search, the
oxygen atoms break up dirt bonds and combine
with hydrogen and oxygen to create more
molecules of water and oxygen while cleaning
the surface in the same way as toxic cleaners,
but in a natural way.
Liquid ozone cleaning is also being
implemented in other buildings on the
campus, including the Michigan League and
Michigan Union. Joseph Kennedy, associate
director of university housing facilities, notes
that extensive testing was conducted before
liquid ozone technology was implemented
in the residence halls. As part of the pilot
program proposed by Kennedy and Sally
Gonzales, a building facilities manager, swab
samples of surfaces were taken before and
after cleaning to compare the effectiveness of
liquid ozone to that of chemicals. “We wanted
to test it in one residence hall first to make
sure switching to liquid ozone would make
sense for us,” Kennedy says. “Initially, we
tested for cleaning, but realized that it was
also a certified sanitizer. We used ATP testing
to determine its effectiveness in removing
microbial contamination on different surfaces.
In comparison testing with traditional cleaning
chemicals, aqueous ozone showed as good
or better results.” ATP testing measures
actively growing microorganisms by detecting
adenosine triphosphate or ATP, and the
results let staff know how clean surfaces are.
Kennedy comments on their decision: “Once
we observed that liquid ozone sanitized just as
well or better than the chemicals we had been
using, the sustainability and financial benefits
made it an easy decision to keep rolling this out
across campus.”
Liquid ozone is better for the environment

than chemical cleaning agents because, once
used, it reverts to water and oxygen molecules,
leaving only a bucket of dirty water to be
poured down the drain. And, unlike chemical
agents, liquid ozone does not leave a residue on
cleaned surfaces, making it safer for custodians
and residents with skin sensitivities that may
be aggravated by chemical residues. “University
housing has long been committed to creating
safe, sanitary living conditions for students
living in the residence halls, while trying to be
as conscious of our environmental footprint
as possible,” says Vicki Hueter, director of
housing facilities. “Liquid ozone is allowing
us to take this commitment to an entirely new
level by eliminating or reducing the need for
most of the chemicals we used in the past.”
July + August 2013

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Talking Stick - July/August 2013

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