Quantifying the Process of Ozonation Chemiluminescence on Determining Organic Matter Compositions

Although the ozonation chemiluminescence can be used to determine organic matter fractions (lipids, acid soluble fractions, acid insoluble fractions), the process is not clear, e.g., what is produced after the organic matter is oxidized by ozone (O-3), how much product and reactant are in the ozonation, how to define the complete oxidation? Aimed at resolving these questions, we designed an experiment. On the special equipment developed for the ozonation chemiluminescence studies, two instruments of determining O-3 concentrations and two flowmeters were installed to measure the input and output amount of O-3 and the amount of O-3 consumed can be calculated. Results showed that 1) acid insoluble fractions are oxidized to lipids and acid insoluble fractions; 2) the amount of the product is determined by the amount of reactant and consumed O-3 (OM + O-3 -> OM'); 3) when the reactant is as result 2), the oxidation is complete, or when the organic matter fractions are stable after ozonation, the oxidation is complete. Further study should test the process at the molecular level.