Ozone in the air we breathe can harm our health—typically on hot,
sunny days when ozone can reach unhealthy levels. Even relatively low
levels of ozone can cause health effects. People with lung disease,
children, older adults, and people who are active outdoors may be
particularly sensitive to ozone.
Children are at greatest risk from exposure to ozone because their lungs are still developing and they are more likely to be active outdoors when ozone levels are high, which increases their exposure. Children are also more likely than adults to have asthma.
Breathing ozone can trigger a variety of health problems including chest pain, coughing, throat irritation, and congestion. It can worsen bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma. Ground level ozone also can reduce lung function and inflame the linings of the lungs. Repeated exposure may permanently scar lung tissue.
Ozone can:
Ozone is particularly likely to reach unhealthy levels on hot sunny days in urban environments. It is a major part of urban smog. Ozone can also be transported long distances by wind. For this reason, even rural areas can experience high ozone levels. And, in some cases, ozone can occur throughout the year in some southern and mountain regions
Children are at greatest risk from exposure to ozone because their lungs are still developing and they are more likely to be active outdoors when ozone levels are high, which increases their exposure. Children are also more likely than adults to have asthma.
Breathing ozone can trigger a variety of health problems including chest pain, coughing, throat irritation, and congestion. It can worsen bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma. Ground level ozone also can reduce lung function and inflame the linings of the lungs. Repeated exposure may permanently scar lung tissue.
Ozone can:
- Make it more difficult to breathe deeply and vigorously.
- Cause shortness of breath and pain when taking a deep breath.
- Cause coughing and sore or scratchy throat.
- Inflame and damage the airways.
- Aggravate lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.
- Increase the frequency of asthma attacks.
- Make the lungs more susceptible to infection.
- Continue to damage the lungs even when the symptoms have disappeared.
Ozone is particularly likely to reach unhealthy levels on hot sunny days in urban environments. It is a major part of urban smog. Ozone can also be transported long distances by wind. For this reason, even rural areas can experience high ozone levels. And, in some cases, ozone can occur throughout the year in some southern and mountain regions
What are the effects of ozone?
Effects on the Airways.
Ozone is a powerful oxidant that can irritate the air ways causing
coughing, a burning sensation, wheezing and shortness of breath and it
can aggravate asthma and other lung diseases.
Alveoli
filled with trapped air. Ozone can cause the muscles in the airways to
constrict, trapping air in the alveoli. This leads to wheezing and
shortness of breath. In people with asthma it can result in asthma
attacks.
Airway Inflammation.
With airway inflammation, there is an influx of white blood cells,
increased mucous production, and fluid accumulation and retention. This
causes the death and shedding of cells that line the airways and has
been compared to the skin inflammation caused by sunburn.
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