How does ozone pollution affect people?
Ozone acts as a powerful respiratory irritant at the levels frequently found in most of the nation’s urban areas during summer months. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain when inhaling deeply, wheezing and coughing. Tests carried out on healthy adults and children undergoing heavy exercise have found that exposure to ozone at a level equal to the current federal health-based air quality standard of 0.12 parts per million results in a decrease in the normal function of the lungs.
