Ozonation of Water: Role of Hydroxyl Radicals as Oxidizing Intermediates

Hydroxyl radicals are the main oxidants formed in the decomposition of ozone in water. This is demonstrated by measuring the relative rates at which different substrates are consumed and comparing them with known reaction rate constants. Knowledge accumulated by radiation chemists and biologists on the reactions of hydroxyl radicals can therefore be used to describe oxidations succeeding ozone decomposition.