| Smog is chemical mixture of gases that commonly | | | | where there is an extremely high level of |
| forms a brownish-yellow haze in the air, primarily over | | | | hydrocarbons in the air, nature simply cannot keep up |
| urban areas. Components of smog include | | | | without overcompensating. |
| ground-level ozone, nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile | | | | By itself, ozone is a natural purification agent used in |
| organic compounds (VOC), sulfur dioxide, acidic | | | | a variety of ways for this purpose both by nature |
| aerosols and gases, and particulate matter. These | | | | and by humans. At reasonable levels it is not at all |
| gases result from a reaction between certain airborne | | | | unhealthy, and due to ozone's reactive and unstable |
| pollutants and strong sunlight. Smog poses a | | | | nature it is very, very rare for ozone levels to |
| significant threat to animal, plant, and human life. In | | | | become excessive under natural or normal |
| fact thousands die every year as a result of this | | | | circumstances. Conversely, man-made hydrocarbons |
| pollution. | | | | are completely unhealthy at any level and under any |
| The ground level ozone that is said to be the "main | | | | circumstance. Common sense dictates that black, |
| culprit" in smog is really a collection of hydrocarbons, | | | | sooty smoke coming from an automobile exhaust or |
| CO2, CO, and SO2 that react with UV rays from the | | | | smokestack can only be harmful to our health. |
| sun to form nitric oxides (NOX), halogenated | | | | Hydrocarbons do occur naturally in the air, as does |
| by-products, and sulfur compounds. These | | | | the ozone that helps to break them down without |
| composites do indeed cause offensive odors, | | | | reaching dangerous or unnatural concentrations. When |
| aggravate respiratory problems and burn eyes. But it | | | | excessive amounts of hydrocarbons are produced, |
| is not the ozone that is the true villain. Ozone | | | | largely man-made, we will get high ozone |
| naturally forms not as a true component of smog | | | | concentrations as a natural reaction to an unnatural |
| but, more accurately, as a means of eliminating it. As | | | | situation. Rarely do less-populated areas experience |
| the level of VOCs and particulate rises in the air, the | | | | smog and ozone problems, even though ozone is |
| ozone level rises as nature herself tries to clean up | | | | naturally produced the same way and in similar |
| man's mess. | | | | quantities in big and small cities alike. |
| If we remove the manmade components of smog, | | | | Modern, "air-tight" construction methods that began in |
| the VOCs and industrial particulates then we simply | | | | the energy-conscious 1970s, combined with |
| have a natural process where the ozone and nitrogen | | | | misinformation about ozone safety perpetuated by |
| dioxide are normalized to safe and healthy levels. | | | | well-meaning public health agencies, has resulted in an |
| When we add a large amount of man-made | | | | unfortunate lack of ozone in most indoor |
| hydrocarbons to the atmosphere, then the amounts | | | | environments. The reason this is so unfortunate is |
| of nitrogen dioxide and ozone are artificially increased. | | | | because in truth ozone is an effective, natural air |
| The main reason that ozone gets the label of "Public | | | | purification agent which, when properly produced by |
| Enemy Number One" is that while man-made | | | | a high-quality air cleaning system, can alleviate a wide |
| hydrocarbons are very complex and as such quite | | | | range of health problems such as allergies, asthma, |
| difficult to measure, ozone is very easy to accurately | | | | sinus problems, and chemical exposure. It has been |
| measure. Consequently, ozone has long been used as | | | | stated by many environmental agencies in no |
| an indicator for the severity or presence of smog | | | | uncertain terms that indoor air pollution is the number |
| because as the levels of the true components of | | | | one environmental health problem - and it is a far |
| smog rise, so does the level of ozone. By | | | | more significant risk to human health than even the |
| conveniently placing the onus on ozone, government | | | | worst outdoor air pollution. Because it is the high |
| and industry are effectively relieved of the | | | | hydrocarbon concentration that is a component of |
| responsibility for the millions of pounds of toxins | | | | smog conditions that makes the ground ozone level |
| released into the air every year. Rather than taking | | | | artificially high, this is not a factor indoors. Even if we |
| steps to control the real culprit, we are actually | | | | have many other kinds of pollutants in our home (and |
| allowing our government to shoot the messenger - | | | | we do), hydrocarbons are the only contaminant that |
| good guy ozone. | | | | cause ozone levels to rise above safe levels. The |
| Ozone's beneficial role in smog reduction is its ability | | | | scientific community is still not sure exactly why this |
| to break down and oxidize hydrocarbons and | | | | happens; what they only know is that it does |
| particulates in the air. One of the most powerful | | | | happen. |
| oxidants known, ozone actually burns and destroys | | | | It should be clear that ozone is not the culprit of our |
| particulate with which it comes in contact. Ozone is | | | | pollution problems at ground level. Ozone has been |
| unstable and highly reactive, and as such it readily | | | | used for half a century as a purifying agent for a |
| seeks out molecules of particulate and gas with | | | | variety of applications - water treatment and |
| which to chemically react in an effort to break up the | | | | purification, food preservation, cancer and HIV |
| oxygen triplet - O3 - and return to its natural state: | | | | treatment, and odor removal. Most ozone air purifiers |
| O2, or dioxygen. However, in the process of breaking | | | | are designed to produce an ozone concentration of |
| down man-made hydrocarbons in particular, the result | | | | about .04 ppm (parts per million) when operated |
| is the production of elements that combine to | | | | according to instructions, which is within all standards. |
| produce additional ozone and nitrogen dioxide, above | | | | Fortunately, ozone is a self-policing element, since its |
| and beyond what is produced naturally. Even though | | | | odor becomes obnoxious to most well before it |
| hydrocarbons are quickly being broken down by the | | | | becomes a health hazard, as opposed to the |
| ozone, the sheer volume of these pollutants that is | | | | refreshing and purified smell it gives off when |
| produced by our highly-industrialized society is almost | | | | occurring at safe and healthy levels. |
| insurmountable. In our cities and industrial areas, | | | | |