Why do we need to measure ozone?

Ozone is an atmospheric trace gas found throughout the atmosphere. Most people are familiar with stratospheric ozone. This is dominated by the famous "ozone layer," approximately 6 through 30 miles above the Earth's surface, reduces the amount of harmful UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface. Tropospheric ozone is an EPA regulated pollutant formed primarily from photochemical reactions between two major classes of air pollutants, volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NO

 

The majority of ground-level ozone is the result of reactions of man-made VOC and NO

NO

The ground state oxygen atom produced in reaction 1 is able to react with an oxygen atom in the presence of a third body, (M) to form ozone;

O + O

There has been recent evidence that suggests levels of ozone in the troposphere are increasing. Examination of historical data records has shown that background concentrations of ozone have doubled over the last century. Through careful examination and re-evaluation of the seasonal ozone cycles at Montsouris, Paris taken from 1876-1886 together with data taken from Arkona (1983) there is clear evidence of not only a large increase in the concentration of tropospheric ozone, but also there is evidence for seasonal perturbations.

2: HUMAN HEALTH IMPACTS

When you breathe in ozone, it damages your lungs. This is because ozone is an oxidizer and can react with a number of biomolecules, particularly those containing thiol or amine groups or unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds. These reactions and their products are poorly characterized, but it is thought that the ultimate effects of ozone exposure are mediated by free radicals and other oxidant species in the lungs that then react with underlying epithelial cells, with immune cells, and with neural receptors in the airway wall. The net effects are;

* Decrements in lung function

* Inflammation of airways

* Coughing

* Throat irritation

* Pain, burning, or discomfort in the chest when taking a deep breath

* Chest tightness, wheezing, or shortness of breath

 

Many research studies have found significant association between ozone levels and premature death, concluding a one-third reduction in urban ozone concentrations would save roughly 4000 lives per year. Clearly, measuring of the level of ozone in the air on our campus is important in trying to understand the impacts of this harmful gas on us as students and workers at Eastern Michigan University and the surrounding area.