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There is a large body of written material on ozone and the use of ozone indoors. However, much of this material makes claims or draws conclusions without substantiation and sound science.
In developing Ozone Generators that are Sold as Air Cleaners , the EPA reviewed a wide assortment of this literature, including information provided by a leading manufacturer of ozone generating devices. In keeping with EPA's policy of insuring that the information it provides is based on sound science, only peer reviewed, scientifically supported findings and conclusions were relied upon in developing this document.
Several brands of ozone generators have EPA establishment number on their packaging. This number helps EPA identify the specific facility that produces the product. The display of this number does not imply EPA endorsement or suggest in any way that EPA has found the product to be either safe or effective.
Please Note: EPA does not certify air cleaning devices. The Agency does not recommend air cleaning devices or manufacturers. If you need information on specific devices or manufacturers, one resource you can consult is the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers AHAM , The air cleaner certification program is known as AC Ozone generators that are sold as air cleaners intentionally produce the gas ozone.
Often the vendors of ozone generators make statements and distribute material that lead the public to believe that these devices are always safe and effective in controlling indoor air pollution. For almost a century, health professionals have refuted these claims Sawyer, et.
The purpose of this document is to provide accurate information regarding the use of ozone-generating devices in indoor occupied spaces. This information is based on the most credible scientific evidence currently available.
Some vendors suggest that these devices have been approved by the federal government for use in occupied spaces. To the contrary, NO agency of the federal government has approved these devices for use in occupied spaces. Because of these claims, and because ozone can cause health problems at high concentrations, several federal government agencies have worked in consultation with the U.
Environmental Protection Agency to produce this public information document. Ozone is a molecule composed of three atoms of oxygen. Two atoms of oxygen form the basic oxygen molecule--the oxygen we breathe that is essential to life.
The third oxygen atom can detach from the ozone molecule, and re-attach to molecules of other substances, thereby altering their chemical composition. The same chemical properties that allow high concentrations of ozone to react with organic material outside the body give it the ability to react with similar organic material that makes up the body, and potentially cause harmful health consequences.
When inhaled, ozone can damage the lungs. Relatively low amounts can cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath and throat irritation. Ozone may also worsen chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and compromise the ability of the body to fight respiratory infections. People vary widely in their susceptibility to ozone.
Healthy people, as well as those with respiratory difficulty, can experience breathing problems when exposed to ozone. Exercise during exposure to ozone causes a greater amount of ozone to be inhaled, and increases the risk of harmful respiratory effects. Recovery from the harmful effects can occur following short-term exposure to low levels of ozone, but health effects may become more damaging and recovery less certain at higher levels or from longer exposures US EPA, a, b.
Manufacturers and vendors of ozone devices often use misleading terms to describe ozone. Terms such as "energized oxygen" or "pure air" suggest that ozone is a healthy kind of oxygen. Even in healthy people, ozone exposure can cause significant health problems.
Most of these issues are related to the respiratory system and lungs. According to the Environmental Protection Agency , the effects of breathing in ozone include:. Studies have found that even short-term exposure to ozone up to 8 hours can cause symptoms such as:.
Many of these symptoms are linked to the narrowing of the airways. Thankfully, these ozone exposure symptoms can be reversed. However, the effects of long-term exposure may not be reversible, making it critical to control the amount of ozone you and your family are exposed to. It is important to take steps to reduce your exposure to any high ozone levels occurring outdoors and the lower ozone levels present indoors.
First and foremost, you should check your outdoor air quality. If ozone levels are high, consider staying indoors as much as possible and closing the windows. You may want to forego exercising outdoors, doing yard work, or walking or biking to work. Being highly active when ozone levels or even pollen levels, if you have bad allergies can cause you to breathe in more of the pollutant.
Wait until evening, when the temperature is cooler to do outdoor activities. When ozone levels are high outdoors, make sure to close the windows and reduce the ventilation rate from the outdoors. Regarding indoor air purifiers, you may be able to reduce your exposure by using filters containing activated carbon, but other filters, especially those that only remove particulate pollutants, will not be effective.
Also, be careful if you use anything indoors that produces high concentrations of ozone, like plasma cutters, welders, or ozone generators. Many people who want to improve their indoor air quality have turned to ozone generators. In one study , conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency EPA , researchers ran an ozone generator in a test home at its maximum setting. Aside from being conscious about your personal exposure to ozone on a daily basis, you should also consider ways to reduce your contribution to ozone pollution.
The EPA gives us some great ideas , including:. Ozone pollution is a serious health concern that has become common in our industrialized world. The first step is awareness, which leads to individual action, and ultimately, to improvements made on a global scale. We can take individual steps to lower our exposure and let the ozone smell before a storm cause us to remember. Air Quality. Air Purifier Technology. Inside Molekule. Buy Now. What Does Ozone Smell Like?
By Christina Vanvuren Contributor. Falling water disturbs and displaces odoriferous molecules on surfaces, particularly on dry ones, and carry them into the air. If you happen to be near vegetation, these molecules may come from plants and trees. For city dwellers, these odorants rise up from concrete and asphalt. Some are fragrant, others foul.
There's a name popularly ascribed to this range of post-precipitation scents: petrichor. Petrichor was first described in by mineralogists Isabel Joy Bear and R. As they defined it, it occurs when airborne molecules from decomposing plant or animal matter become attached to mineral or clay surfaces. During a dry spell, these molecules chemically recombine with other elements on a rock's surface. Then when the rains came, the redolent combination of fatty acids, alcohols and hydrocarbons is released.
This is the aroma of geosmin, a metabolic by-product of bacteria or blue-green algae. Geosmin can be a comforting call to gardeners eager to dig in the dirt, but it's less beloved when it contaminates wine or drinking water, leaving a damp stench. Why an aroma at all? All these chemicals stirred up by the weather can carry messages. Some biologists suspect that petrichor running into waterways acts as a cue to freshwater fish, signaling spawning time.
Microbiologist Keith Chater at the John Innes Center in England has proposed that geosmin's fragrance may be a beacon, helping camels find their way to desert oases. In return, the bacteria that produce geosmin use the camels as carriers for their spores. But do these smells send meaningful messages to humans?
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