What is Ozone / O₃ ?
The inorganic molecule ozone (/ozon/), often known as trioxygen, has the chemical formula O₃. It’s a pale blue gas with a pronounced unpleasant odour. The odour of ozone is similar to that of chlorine, and it may be detected in air at quantities as low as 0.1 ppm by many people. The O₃ structure of ozone was discovered in 1865.
Unlike the oxygen that gives life to the earth, ozone molecules have three oxygen atoms (O₃) (O₂). Because the extra oxygen atom can rapidly escape and connect to other compounds, ozone is extremely strong. If we breathe it in, this highly reactive property has the ability to change the chemical composition of various chemicals in the air, as well as damage our cells.
When you hear the word “ozone,” you might think of the ozone layer, which shields all life from the sun’s harmful UV rays. This is the so-called “good” ozone that exists in the stratosphere. However, ozone at ground level is “bad” since it is harmful to one’s health and is classed as an air pollutant by the Environmental Protection Agency.
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So what does ozone smell like?
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, ozone is a naturally occurring gas in the atmosphere that receives its name from the Greek word “ozein,” which meaning “smell.”
A person may say that they can smell the storm coming before it pours. It’s possible that their nose are taking up the aroma of ozone, or O₃. Storm downdrafts from higher altitudes bring ozone to nose level, which has been characterized as delicious and pungent-smelling. It has a distinct odour that can be detected after a storm.
Did you know that at concentrations as low as 10 PPB (parts per billion), the average human nose can detect the distinct fragrance of ozone?
The smell of ozone in the house and its constituents is a pungent odour that can be hazardous and have a long-term impact on the human body, particularly the lungs.
As a result, it’s crucial to keep an eye out for any of these aromas in your home’s interior air.
The ozone smell is best described as:
- Metallic
- Like a burning wire
- Like chlorine
- A “clean” smell
- Sweet and pungent
- Like an electrical spark
It is better to understand and know the smell of ozone to detect this gas in the surrounding atmosphere. As ozone exposure has considerable health hazards, the scent of ozone might serve as a warning to take the required precautions.
How is ozone produced naturally?
Ozone is produced by electrical discharge such as lightning. When an electrical discharge happens near a molecule of oxygen (O₂) in ambient air, the molecule is split into elemental oxygen (O). Ozone is formed when these oxygen atoms swiftly connect to another oxygen molecule (O₂) O₃
Can ozone be produced artificially??
Ozone generators use extremely high voltages or ultraviolet light to manufacture ozone artificially. The breakdown of the oxygen molecule is used in both ways. This results in the production of oxygen radicals. Ozone generator should be avoided as it is not useful to remove ozone from home, it rather produces Ozone and its byproduct. You can rather use air purifiers if you have large rooms.
How Bad is Ozone for us?
Depending on the quantity of exposure, the length of exposure, and the conditions in the interior environment, ozone exposure in your personal indoor air space might cause potentially serious health impacts (like airflow and ventilation). According to the American Lung Association, ozone is a powerful lung irritant, and any sort of exposure to high ozone levels in the air will exacerbate lung disorders. Individuals with asthma or other chronic respiratory disorders, children, and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to ozone exposure.
Ozone Pollution
Depending on where it is located in the atmosphere, ozone can be beneficial or harmful to human health and the environment. Ozone in the stratosphere is “good” because it protects living things from the sun’s UV rays. The theme of this website is ground-level ozone, which is “bad” because it can cause a range of health problems, especially in children, the elderly, and persons of all ages with respiratory illnesses like asthma.
Tropospheric ozone, also known as ground-level ozone, is produced by chemical interactions between nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic molecules (VOC). When pollutants from automobiles, power plants, industrial boilers, refineries, chemical plants, and other sources react chemically in the presence of sunshine, this occurs.
Ozone levels in metropolitan contexts are most likely to reach toxic levels on hot, bright days, although they can still reach dangerous levels during the winter. Ozone may be transported over great distances by wind, therefore high ozone levels can be found even in rural locations.
Effect of Ozone Exposure
The duration of acute ozone exposure might range from a few hours to many days. Because ozone is a gas, it has a direct impact on the lungs and the entire respiratory system. Inhaled ozone causes inflammation, as well as temporary but reversible changes in lung function and airway hyperresponsiveness.
What are the effects of short term ozone exposure?
According to studies, even short-term ozone exposure (up to 8 hours) can produce symptoms such as:
- Coughing
- Tightness in the chest
- Suffocating
- Breathing problems
- Irritation of the throat and lungs
- Pain while breathing deeply
The constriction of the airways is associated to several of these symptoms. These ozone-related symptoms, thankfully, can be reversed.
What are the effects of long-term ozone exposure?
- Respiratory disease susceptibility, such as asthma, pneumonia, and bronchitis
- Lung scarring, resulting in long-term lung capacity impairment (or the volume of air that the lungs can expel)
- Immune system’s ability to resist bacterial infections in the respiratory system is weakened.
How Can you Control your Ozone Exposure?
It’s vital to take precautions to limit your exposure to both high ozone levels outside and lower ozone levels indoors. Following these tips will help you to remove the ozone.
Keep a check on the Ozone layer outside?
Ozone is rarely directly emitted. Instead, automobile exhaust, power plants, chemical plants, and other industrial facilities release nitrous oxide and volatile organic compounds in various forms (VOCs). Sunlight has enough energy to break down these chemicals and convert them into new ones, such as ozone. This is why, on sunny days with little wind, ozone levels in the lower atmosphere tend to be greater.
If ozone levels are high outside, remain as much as possible within and close the windows. You might want to skip outdoor exercise, yard work, and walking or biking to work. When ozone levels are high, being active can lead you to inhale more of the pollutant. Outdoor activities should be done later in the evening, when the weather is cooler.
Reduce your ozone production indoor
The majority of our ozone exposure occurs outside, although indoor exposure accounts for 45 percent to 75 percent of an individual’s total ozone exposure. Close the windows and limit the ventilation rate from the outside when ozone levels are high outside. If you use an indoor air purifier with activated carbon filters, you may be able to limit your exposure, but other filters, especially those that just remove particle pollutants, will not be useful. Also, anything that produces significant quantities of ozone indoors, such as plasma cutters, welders, or ozone generators, should be avoided.
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Because ozone is a gas rather than a particle, it is not possible to remove ozone by conventional air filters. A HEPA filter or any other form of mechanical filter, including one incorporated into your HVAC system, will have no influence on ozone removal.
Ozone Generator
The Ozone generator is one of the most widely advertised air purifiers, claiming to clean and dehumidify the indoor air.
Ozone generators, also known as ozone machines, are ozone-producing equipment that produce ozone gas on purpose. When sold as air purifiers for use in populated indoor environments, they are advertised as being both safe and effective (though these claims are generally false). As a result of their internal mechanics, ionisers and electrostatic precipitators produce ozone as a byproduct.
Ozone is created by dissolving oxygen (O₂) molecules into single atoms, which then bond to additional oxygen molecules in the air to generate ozone (O₃). According to the International Association of Certified Indoor Air Consultants, they do it in one of two ways (InterNACHI).
Because there are so many variables at play, the EPA cautions that determining the actual concentration of ozone produced by an ozone generator is becoming more challenging. If more powerful devices are used in smaller locations, concentrations will be higher. The concentrations will be affected by whether the interior doors are closed or open. The number of items and furnishings in the space that can react with ozone, the amount of exterior air circulation, and the proximity of a person to the ozone generating device are all factors that affect concentration levels.
How does these ozone Generators work?
Silent corona discharge
These machines make ozone by dividing regular oxygen molecules in the air into single atoms using an electric discharge. Ozone is formed when these atoms combine with other O₂ molecules in the air (O₃).
UV radiation
The sun’s ultraviolet light separates O₂ into individual oxygen atoms, which is similar to how ozone is formed. This procedure, according to InterNACHI, is less efficient than corona discharge.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted one study in which researchers used a maximum-setting ozone generator in a test home. Ozone concentrations in the room’s air were found to be “equivalent to a stage one smog alert – this is when local air pollution control districts urge the public to avoid some outdoor activities for health reasons.”
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Why is the HEPA filter a safer and more effective alternative?
- Using a HEPA filter rather than an ozone generator is a more safer and more effective option but will have no effect to remove ozone from home. Rather than trying to establish a chemical reaction with indoor air contaminants, a HEPA filter captures them instead of generating hazardous ozone.
- The only air cleaners that fulfil stringent EPA efficacy standards are HEPA filters. This implies that if you buy an air purifier that uses this technology, you can rest assured that you will know exactly how effective it is.
- This sort of filter is frequently used in combination with other technologies, such as activated carbon, to achieve even better results. Air purifiers can remove solid, chemical, and gaseous contaminants from the air and substantially improve indoor air quality by using a pre-filter and activated carbon.
What is Ozone treatment?
Some experts, feel that ozone can have therapeutic effects in medical settings. According to a 2011 review Trusted Source, ozone therapy has been used for the following purposes:
- Arthritic treatment
- HIV and SARS are examples of viral illnesses that need to be combated.
- Wound disinfection
- Immune system activation
- Ischemic heart disease treatment
- Macular degeneration treatment
- Cancer treatment
Researchers are now investigating the effects of ozone therapy on the human body in order to determine whether it has any therapeutic promise.
Despite the fact that some studies While one source claims that the benefits of ozone therapy are constant and safe, another claim that there is insufficient evidence to determine its genuine effectiveness or safety.
How Ozone Production can be controlled at a personal level?
There are some major changes that we can do in our daily life to decrease ozone production.
- One should try to conserve energy at home, at work, everywhere.
- Use carpool, public transportation, bike, or walk whenever possible.
- For optimal vapour recovery, follow the instructions for gasoline refueling, being cautious not to spill fuel, and tightening your gas cap securely.
- Keeping car, boat, and other engines properly tuned.
- Be sure to properly inflate the tires.
- Using environmentally safe paints and cleaning products whenever possible.
- Mulch or compost leaves and yard waste.
- Keep your car from overheating excessively.
- Refuel your car in the evening when it’s cooler.
- Conserve electricity and set air conditioners at a higher temperature.
Conclusion
In our industrialized society, ozone pollution has become a severe health hazard. The first phase is raising awareness, which leads to individual action and, eventually, global improvements. Many countries have already pledged to rebuild the depleting ozone layer, and the EPA’s Clean Air Act and subsequent legislation have helped to reduce ozone pollution levels. Individually, we can reduce our exposure by taking little efforts and allowing the ozone smell to remind us only before a storm.
State and local governments will be helped to fulfill the Agency’s national air quality standards by the EPA’s national and regional rules to limit emissions of contaminants that generate ground-level ozone. Vehicle and transportation regulations, regional haze and visibility requirements, and frequent NAAQS evaluations are among the actions taken.