Ozone
Description
Ozone is a highly reactive form of oxygen. In the upper atmosphere, ozone forms a protective layer that shields us from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. At ground level, ozone is a harmful air pollutant and a primary constituent of urban smog. Ozone is produced when air pollutants from automobile emissions and manufacturing operations interact with sunlight. Long-term exposure to high concentrations of ozone can cause a significant reduction in lung function, inflammation of the airways, and respiratory distress. People with lung diseases are particularly vulnerable to the respiratory effects of ozone. Results from an NIEHS-funded study show that children who played three or more outdoor sports in areas with high ozone concentrations were more than three times as likely to develop asthma as children who did not engage in sports activities.
What NIEHS is Doing on Ozone
- A Human Health Perspective On Climate Change (4MB)
- Asthma Development in Athletic Children Exposed to Ozone
- Child Development and Environmental Toxins (633KB)
- Low-Level Ozone and Particulate Matter Pollution is Associated with Respiratory Symptoms in Children with Asthma
- New Treatment Found for Ozone-Caused Wheezing
- Public Health Impacts of Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Unexplained Atrial Fibrillation is Associated with High Ambient Ozone
General Information
- Community Action and the Environment - Can You Help Save the Environment? (611KB)
- Environmental Health Perspectives, Environews by Topic: Ozone
