We are used to relating the ozone with that magic layer that protects us from harmful radiation coming from the Sun and that we are being loaded by our bad head.
It is totally true that without it we could not live, but it is also true that many people do not know the less kind face of ozonebecause it is about a gas what to large concentrations can be very harmful to health.
Usually the atmospheric levels of ozone They do not reach dangerous rates, but when temperatures are very high, a few indications must be taken into account, since the heat stroke They are not the only possible health problem that we may have now that the summer burning.
What is Ozone?
Ozone is a molecule made up of three volumes of oxygen that make up a gaseous substance at room temperature.
It’s one of the main components of the atmosphere, which contains this pure gas between 10 and 40 kilometers above sea level, although the highest levels are found in the first 25 kilometers, which make up the stratosphere.
Its formation is due to the effect of ultraviolet radiation, which cause the dissociation of a oxygen molecule (O2), giving rise to two volumes that immediately join another molecule without dissociating, generating the O3.
But that is not the whole relationship that he maintains with these ultraviolet radiation, since it is also in charge of filtering those that can be harmful to our health, so the deterioration that the Ozone layer is suffering in recent years can have very serious consequences for the planet.
Tropospheric ozone detrimental health effects
And since despite the claims of popular wisdom on many occasions what kills you can also make you stronger, ozone is essential for us to live on Earth, but at certain concentrations it could also kill us.
I mean the case of tropospheric ozone, which is at ground level in the inhabited area of the planet, contrary to what happens with the ozone layer, which is located in the stratosphere. The problem is because it is a highly oxidizing molecule, which at high concentrations and during long exposure times can give rise to symptoms such as cough, nose and throat irritation, breathing difficulties and general malaise.
In summer the greater number of hours of sunshine makes the atmospheric concentrations; since, as I told you before, it is its radiation that gives rise to its formation.
Therefore, it is necessary to make a tracing of the existing levels at all times to alert the population in the event that the 240 micrograms per cubic meter.
In that case, the risk groups (children, the elderly and people with respiratory problems) to go out into the streets during the hottest hours, in the same way that the entire population will be warned of the dangers that will come from the practice of activities as daily as outdoor sport.
All this is complicated in large cities, since the gases from the fossil fuels are the main source of training for the tropospheric ozone. Therefore, one of the main measures to avoid these situations is establishing regulations such as the restriction of hours of traffic.
What did you think? Did you know this facet of ozone? If there is nothing like the country air, it cannot be denied.
