Ozone Health Effects — Annotated Bibliography, June 2001
Recent research with laboratory animals, clinical subjects, and human populations has identified a cascade of adverse health effects from ozone at levels common in the United States. Effects include increased respiratory symptoms, damage to cells of the respiratory tract, pulmonary inflammation, declines in lung function, increased susceptibility to respiratory infections, and increased risk of hospitalization and early death.
In 1997, EPA revised the standard for ozone from 0.12 ppm averaged over one hour, to a standard of 0.08 ppm averaged over eight hours. The new standard was set to reflect the findings of chamber studies performed in the
early 1990’s, which found that ozone poses health problems when people are exposed to lower levels for longer periods of time.
Ozone is the principle component of ground-level smog. It is formed when hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide pollution from vehicles, power plants, refineries and other sources react in the atmosphere in the presence of sunlight. Ozone is a powerful oxidizing agent that damages lung tissue.
Four groups of people are especially sensitive to ozone: children, people with chronic obstructive respiratory disease (chronic bronchitis and emphysema) and asthma, persons who exercise or work outdoors, and people who, for reasons that remain unknown, are more sensitive to the physiologic effects of
ozone.
In recent years, air pollution research funds have been largely directed toward the study of particulate matter. Nevertheless, there have been important new developments regarding the health effects of ozone since EPA last reviewed the standards in 1997. Important new findings include:
– Identification of the possible genetic basis for susceptibility to ozone;
– Increasing evidence of a mortality effect of ozone;
– Evidence of long-term impacts on lung function from chronic exposure; and
– Increased evidence of the effects of ozone on sensitive groups such as children
and asthmatics.
The attached annotated bibliography represents a sampling of the peer-reviewed scientific literature on the health effects of ozone air pollution published betweeen 1997-2001.
Attachments
- Ozone Annotated Bibliogaphy June 2001
- ozonehealth9701.pdf
Selected Key Health Studies 1997-2001
