Ozone is the strongest oxidant of the common disinfecting agents.
It was used as early as 1893 for drinking water treatment. Today, it is the most commonly used disinfection process in Europe. One important reason is that only oxygen is added to organic compounds, so few of the products are considered to be health hazards. A wider spectrum of organisms is destroyed by ozone than by chlorine, and removal of taste and odors is excellent. The reactions are rapid compared to those for chlorine, but only after an initial demand for ozone is satisfied.