1. What does ORP mean?

ORP (Oxidation-Reduction Potential) measures the ability of water to either oxidize or reduce substances.

• Oxidation = removing electrons

• Reduction = gaining electrons

In practical terms:

• High ORP water can destroy or deactivate microorganisms

• Low ORP water allows microbial growth and biofilm formation

ORP is measured in millivolts (mV).

2. Why ORP matters in water systems

ORP is not just a chemical number — it reflects how hostile or friendly water is to microbes.

High ORP water:

• Inactivates bacteria, viruses, and fungi

• Disrupts biofilms

• Enhances sanitation efficiency

• Indicates oxidative stability

Low ORP water:

• Encourages anaerobic bacteria

• Supports biofilm growth

• Consumes disinfectants

• Leads to odor, slime, and contamination issues

This is why ORP is widely used in:

• Drinking water treatment

• Aquaculture

• Poultry and livestock systems

• Food processing

• Medical and industrial sanitation

3. Relationship between ORP, dissolved oxygen, and oxidants

ORP is influenced by all oxidizing and reducing agents in water, not just oxygen.

Key contributors include:

• Dissolved oxygen (O₂)

• Ozone (O₃)

• Chlorine and chloramines

• Hydrogen peroxide

• Organic matter

• Iron, manganese, sulfides

• Microbial activity

Important distinction:

• DO tells you how much oxygen is present

• ORP tells you how chemically “powerful” the water is

You can have:

• High DO but low ORP (if organic load is high)

• Lower DO but high ORP (if strong oxidants are present)

ORP reflects the net result of all reactions happening in the water.

4. Typical ORP ranges in water

In many biological systems:

• > 650 mV is considered hostile to most pathogens

• < 300 mV favors anaerobic bacteria and biofilms

Waboost's Gea line of generators has a built-in ozone generator, lets you dose the ozone into your system.

5. How ORP is measured

ORP is measured using an ORP sensor (electrode) connected to a Waboost generator, with our Cloud app you have full control over the ORP range, once ORP points are set ozone dosing will be performed automatically.

Components of an ORP probe:

1. Measuring electrode (usually platinum or gold)

2. Reference electrode (silver/silver chloride)

3. Electrolyte bridge

The sensor measures the voltage difference created by electron transfer reactions occurring at the electrode surface.

This voltage is reported as millivolts (mV).

6. What an ORP sensor actually measures

An ORP probe does not measure individual chemicals.

Instead, it measures:

“The tendency of the water to either accept or donate electrons.”

This makes ORP:

• Very powerful (holistic measurement)

• Very sensitive to changes in water chemistry

Because of this, ORP reacts immediately to:

• Organic contamination

• Biofilm release

• Oxidant dosing

• Microbial activity spikes

7. ORP vs pH – why both matter

ORP and pH are closely linked:

• At lower pH, oxidants are more effective → ORP increases

• At higher pH, oxidants weaken → ORP decreases

This is why ORP is often used together with pH to control:

• Chlorination

• Ozonation

• Advanced oxidation systems

8. ORP in biological and agricultural systems

In systems involving animals or plants, ORP is a better indicator of water hygiene than disinfectant concentration alone.

For example:

• Same chlorine dose → different ORP depending on organic load

• Same DO → different ORP depending on microbial activity

This makes ORP especially relevant in:

• Poultry drinking systems

• Livestock water lines

• Hydroponics

• Aquaculture

• Irrigation reuse systems

9. ORP and nanobubble technology

Nanobubbles influence ORP by:

• Increasing stable dissolved oxygen & ozone

• Enhancing oxidation reactions

• Suppressing anaerobic microbial activity

• Improving long-term redox stability without chemical overdosing

Unlike short-lived bubbles, nanobubbles:

• Remain suspended

• Continuously interact at the molecular level

• Create sustained ORP improvement

This is why ORP is often a better performance indicator than DO alone when evaluating advanced oxygenation technologies.

10. Key takeaway

ORP is a direct, real-time indicator of how clean, biologically safe, and chemically active water is.

While DO tells you how much oxygen is present, ORP tells you:

• Whether microbes can survive

• Whether biofilms can form

• Whether sanitation is effective

For modern water treatment and biological systems, ORP is not optional — it is essential.