Contractors have long relied upon ozone, foggers, masking agents, filters and chemicals for deodorization.
But the hydroxyl generator is a new technology that may be preferable to all of these methods in many circumstances and has now become an essential tool for many disaster cleanup contractors.
Hydroxyl radicals (·OH) are created naturally in the atmosphere when the sun’s ultraviolet rays react with water vapor (H2O) and oxygen (O2). They rapidly decompose chemicals in the air and are often referred to as “nature’s broom” because of their crucial role in helping to keep the Earth’s atmosphere clear of harmful organic and inorganic compounds. Hydroxyls work primarily by abstracting hydrogen atoms, thereby dismantling the molecular structure of odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In fact, they react so rapidly that indoor environments have few natural hydroxyls present because they are consumed near their point of entry. Powerful hydroxyl generators using the same broad range of UV radiation as the sun are now used to naturally clean and deodorize indoor environments.
In the disaster restoration industry, hydroxyls are often compared to ozone because they are both oxidizing gasses. They both have the capacity to react with and destroy chemicals that cause odor, and they do not mask, filter or otherwise cover up odors. Hydroxyls, however, react over one million times faster than ozone and with a significantly broader range of compounds. Hydroxyls are known to react with as many as 5,000 different chemicals and are the second most powerful oxidant in the world, behind only fluorine. In practice, ozone is used in such high concentrations that it may deodorize slightly faster, but is toxic to humans and animals and damaging to many materials.
Hydroxyl free radical chemistry is very different from ozone chemistry. Hydroxyl radicals abstract hydrogen atoms from organic compounds, which begins a cascade of free radical decomposition processes called chain reactions. These chain reactions continue throughout the treatment space and enable the effective penetration and deodorization of porous materials such as clothing, furniture, rugs or other contents and structures. By contrast, ozone is a stable molecule and its reaction mechanisms are innately slower and more selective.
