Exposure of Humans to Ozone

People may believe that the most important environmental issues threatening our world would be human overpopulation, ocean acidification, and pollution. However we are forgetting how important every environmental issue is to our planet and the humans that populate it. Ozone depletion affects both the planet and the people. It is a very serious environmental issue that if not solved can cost us some serious loss. The depletion of our ozone layers and the creation of the ozone hole has occurred since the 1980’s, and it 's only getting worst. The ozone layer is a form of oxygen in the molecular form of O3. It is an unstable gas with a pungent odour, it is bluish and it is located in two parts of the atmosphere: the stratosphere and the

Chronic inflammation leads to structural changes, narrowing of the small airways, and destruction of lung tissue, which diminishes the ability of the airways to remain open during expiration

According to scientific studies, climate change could be a responsible factor behind the formation of more ozone smog, and increased production of allergenic pollen (Drought Increases Air Pollution… (n.d.) The health of many people is susceptible to irritation of respiratory system from coming in contact with this polluted air from smog, pollen pollution, and wildfire smoke (NRDC: Climate Change Threatens ....... (n.d.). Anybody can be affected by breathing ozone, but certain age group and disease condition make them more vulnerable. Outdoor workers and even people exercising outside, vulnerable age groups such as children, teens, and older individuals, people with existing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, are more prone to outdoor ozone ”(Ozone Pollution - American Lung…n.d.). Health risk could range from mild "shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing; asthma attacks;"certain individuals might be prone to lung infections; their lungs could be inflamed (Ozone Pollution - American Lung…n.d.). People diagnosed with asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease might face more infections and in need of more care (Ozone Pollution - American Lung…n.d.). According to Natural Resources Defense Council, an approximated "881,500 kids and 2,294,800 adults" are asthma victim per year (Climate Change Threatens Health....n.d.).

The client’s secondary diagnosis is community-acquired pneumonia. Typically, immune defense mechanisms, such as the secretion of alveolar macrophages and immunoglobulins A and G, protect the lower airway from infection. Streptococcus pneumoniae, the most common causative agent of community-acquired pneumonia, invades the lungs. The organism triggers an inflammatory response, resulting in increased blood flow and vascular permeability. Neutrophil activation occurs, to surround the kill the invading organism. A combination of the offending organism, neutrophils and fluid from the surrounding blood vessels flood the alveoli, inhibiting normal oxygen transportation. This filling of the alveoli may lead to tachypnea, tachycardia and dyspnea. Further obstruction of airflow and an increased impairment of gas exchange occur as mucous production increases. When

4. c.8% annually in all four geographic markets during Years 11-15, and then slow gradually to 3% annually in all markets by Year 20.

Lung inflammation will be scored by a treatment-blind observer. The degree of peribronchial and perivascular inflammation will be evaluated on a subjective scale of 0-3, as described previously [37]. Briefly, A value of 0: no inflammation is detectable; a value of 1: occasional cuffing with inflammatory cells; a value of 2: most bronchi or vessels are surrounded by a thin layer (one to five cells thick) of inflammatory cells; a value of 3: majority of bronchi or vessels are surrounded by a thick layer (more than five cells thick) of inflammatory cells. Total lung inflammation will be defined as the average of the peribronchial and perivascular inflammation scores. Five lung sections per mouse will be scored and inflammation scores will be expressed as a mean

This causes further damage to the lung. This hyperinflation of the lung is known as emphysema. In emphysema, the alveoli are permanently enlarged leading to a dramatic decline in the alveolar surface area available for gas exchange (Workman, 2013). The permanent enlargement of the alveoli is caused by the overabundance of proteases. When proteases are present in higher-than-normal levels, alveoli is damaged as the proteases break down the elastin located within the lung. When elastin is broken down, lung elasticity is decreased and air is permanently trapped within the air spaces (Workman, 2013). These overall changes from both bronchitis and emphysema lead to hypoxemia, decreased oxygenation, and respiratory

What are the harmful effects of bad ozone and what is being done to reduce the ozone pollution?

The alveoli in the lungs become inflamed and damaged and lose their elasticity as they become swollen and thick

As shown in Figure 4, COPD can partake to two unique forms having their own devastating effects as portrayed within the flow chart. In chronic bronchitis cases, COPD may begin with some damage to the endothelium which can inhibit the musociliary response that is in charge of removing bacteria and mucous. This is a sign of mucous gland hyperplasia (sputum production), a hallmark symptom of chronic bronchitis. This is where patients may first notice sputum coughing as a symptom of bronchitis. This also causes inflammation and obstructs the airways. The airway lumen may also fill with neutrophilia, and neutrophilic infiltrates build up in the submucosa. The respiratory bronchioles become inflamed and blockages are caused by smooth muscle hyperplasia,

The onset of pneumonia causes more mucus production, which will induce more coughing to help clear out the airways (“Pneumonia”, n.d.). However, mucus plugs reduces the efficiency of the gas exchange in the alveoli (“Pneumonia”, n.d.). The replication of bacteria in the alveoli induces the production of cytokines and capillary leakage with the accumulation of plasma and white blood cells. This further propels this cycle, where the release of cytokine is continued and more inflammatory cells are drawn to the alveoli (Musher, 2016). In other words, the debris from the sheer number of white blood cells produced to “fight the infection”, causes the alveoli to be further filled with fluid (“Pneumonia”, n.d.). Further, the cytokine damages the fragile alveoli and causes swelling due to fluid retention (oedema), which becomes a perfect breading ground for the organisms (“Case study”,

Pneumonias are respiratory infections that lead to inflammation of the lung structures such as the alveoli and the bronchioles (Porth, 2011). It is also a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among all age groups. The very young, the very old or those with chronic disease are more susceptible to the disease. According to Driver (2012), “1.4 million people die each year because of pneumonia.” Pneumonias are categorized based on where the infection is acquired, types of organisms that cause the infection, and the location of the lung that infection occurs. The presence of signs and symptoms depends on types of pneumonia and hosts’ defense mechanisms and is the result of the destruction of the alveoli and impairment of gas exchange.

Scientists all over the world have been widely researching to find out ways in which the ozone layer is being destroyed through human actions. The ozone layer is gradually being destroyed by ozone depleting chemicals. These chemicals include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydroflourocarbons (HFCs), methyl bromide, halons, methyl chloroform and carbon tetrachloride among others (Ryding 173). These chemicals are used locally in coolants, fire extinguishers, solvents, pesticides, aerosol propellants and foaming agents.

Ozone is a form of oxygen (O3) and a major air pollutant in the troposphere. It is very harsh and irritant to the lungs, and can be a serious problem for people with lung disorders. Ozone in the stratosphere, on the other hand, is good and acts as a filter to the sun’s harmful rays which can reach the earth’s surface, causing skin cancer to the

    Air is classified as a mixture because it is made up of many different elements. These elements include 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% Argon, .4% water vapor, and .04% carbon dioxide.  Human activity has a very large effect on the air in our environment. Over time, humans have caused the once clean air to become polluted with chemicals.  These chemicals are called pollutants. A pollutant is defined as a substance created from human activity, that is present at a concentration greater than its natural levels, and has a harmful effect on the environment. Many different pollutants exist in our air today and the concentration of these chemicals causes their toxicity to vary.