Can ozone be used to sterilize bee equipment,expense,method etc
I'm going to get the 'this sounds like blue sky thinking' joke out the way. Sorry.Yes. An ozone generator in a confined space such as a large plastic sack or storage box can give high levels of O3 for effective disinfection.
You need a high voltage source, circa 20-30KV and there are various circuits and projects online. Mine is based on an old car ignition coil. Expense depends on your electronics ability and availability of suitable scrap versus new parts.
The actual generator can be spaced meshes or a coil around a glass bottle or jar. PM me if you want to proceed and need extra guidance.
Yes. An ozone generator in a confined space such as a large plastic sack or storage box can give high levels of O3 for effective disinfection.
You need a high voltage source, circa 20-30KV and there are various circuits and projects online. Mine is based on an old car ignition coil. Expense depends on your electronics ability and availability of suitable scrap versus new parts.
The actual generator can be spaced meshes or a coil around a glass bottle or jar. PM me if you want to proceed and need extra guidance.
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In polyboxis it is important to loose the dirt, like mold, resins and poo. Plastic surface a a thin dirt kayer, which grow the mold.
Ozone does not loose the dirt. If you spray some bathroom chemical, it kills.... what ever it then it is. The main gang of "it" is however in combs.
But we all (should) disinfect beekeeping equipment when it isn't in use. I'm talking empty boxes, feeders, etc. Wooden hives are easy - scrape and torch. Poly hives require a little more effort. Yes, I agree you would still have to scrape off any dirt/wax/propolis first, but something other than bleach bath? Ozone sounds promising to me.alas he is right.
The biggest surface area of stuff you will swap in and out of a hive is the comb.
Gas sterilisation of empty comb is going to be patchy at best unless you evacuate the chamber its in first.
alas he is right.
The biggest surface area of stuff you will swap in and out of a hive is the comb.
Gas sterilisation of empty comb is going to be patchy at best unless you evacuate the chamber its in first.
That would be true for a liquid, but O3 gas will circulate and permeate right into cells and crevices. This is why it is used to sterilise whole hospital rooms and their contents as well as smaller things such as surgical instruments with their nooks and crannies.
Who's doing that? Carefully scraping clean and submerging in diluted bleach is the recommended way to clean poly hives. I don't like bleach and O3 sounds like a possible alternative.If you're having to use something like purple Cilit Bang to loosen the gunk anyway what's the point of sterilising twice?
Who's doing that?
There are articles and papers online concerning the use of ozone to eliminate wax moth, chalkbrood, and remove insecticide buildup from comb.
US dept of Agriculture article here https://www.ars.usda.gov/news-events/news/research-news/2014/disinfecting-honey-comb-with-ozone/
Research paper here https://reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/0415067-field-testing-ozone-as-a-fumigant-for-honey-bee-comb.html
and here http://www.todayscience.org/AS/v1-1/AS.2291-4471.2013.0101001.pdf
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