How is ozone layer a pollutant?
1 Answer
Ozone is a pollutant only if it is present near the earth's surface such that we inhale it. It protects us from the sun's harmful rays when in the stratosphere.
Explanation:
Near the earth's surface, if inhaled, it causes eye irritation. People with certain genetic characteristics, and people with reduced intake of certain nutrients, such as vitamins C and E, are at greater risk from ozone exposure.
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.
- Cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
To learn more, you may want to check out these related questions on Socratic:
What are the positive and negative effects of the ozone layer?
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