The sterilization properties of ozone in acidic water are investigated in this study. Acidification of water increases the ozone decay time by several times compared to the decay time in neutral water, thereby enhancing the sterilization strength of ozone in acidic water. A simple analytical model involving the viable microbial counts after contact with acidic ozone water was derived, and a sterilization experiment was conducted on bacterial cells using the acidic ozone water. The acidic ozone water was found to kill very effectively endospores of Bacillus atrophaeus ATCC 9372, thereby demonstrating the potential for disinfection of a large surface area in a very short time and for reinstating the contaminated environment as free from toxic biological agents. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.