Ozone, air pollution, and respiratory health

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine; (United States)

OSTI ID:5878264

Beckett, W S ^[1]

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1. Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT (Unites States)

Of the outdoor air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act of 1970 (and recently revised in 1990), ozone has been the one pollutant most difficult to control within the federal standards. The known human health effects are all on the respiratory system. At concentrations of ozone which occur during summer air-pollution episodes in many urban metropolitan areas of the United States, a portion of the healthy population is likely to experience symptoms and reversible effects on lung function, particularly if exercising heavily outdoors. More prolonged increase in airway responsiveness and the presence of inflammatory cells and mediators in the airway lining fluid may also result from these naturally occurring exposures. Serial exposures to peak levels of ozone on several consecutive days are more characteristic of pollution episodes in the Northeast United States and may be associated with recurrent symptoms. No 'high-risk' or more sensitive group has been found, in contrast to the case of sulfur dioxide, to which asthmatics are more susceptible than normals. The occurrence of multiple exposure episodes within a single year over many years in some areas of California has led to studies looking for chronic effects of ozone exposure on the lung. To date, no conclusive studies have been reported, although further work is under way. Much of what we know about the effects of this gas on the lung are based on controlled exposures to pure gas within an environmental exposure laboratory. Interactions between substances which commonly co-occur in air-pollution episodes are also under investigation.22 references.

• OSTI ID: 5878264
• Journal Information: Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine; (United States), Journal Name: Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine; (United States) Vol. 64:2; ISSN YJBMA; ISSN 0044-0086
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
ANIMALS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INHALATION
INTAKE
MAMMALS
MAN
OZONE
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SENSITIVITY
VERTEBRATES