Summer heat: ozone attacks the lungs

Larissa Melville completed her traineeship in the editorial team of . After studying biology at Ludwig Maximilians University and the Technical University of Munich, she first got to know digital media online at Focus and then decided to learn medical journalism from scratch.

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

On hot summer days, not only does the thermometer rise, but also the ozone load in the air - especially when the good weather continues. Particularly sensitive people then struggle with health problems. However, if you pay attention to a few things, you can reduce the burden.

High concentrations of ozone can cause headaches. Above all, however, they irritate the eyes and the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract: red, burning and watery eyes, irritation of the throat and breathing difficulties are the result. Deep and frequent inhalation, for example during sport, can cause the ozone to reach remote areas of the lungs, damage tissue and even trigger inflammatory processes. Lung function can be reduced for hours after exposure to ozone.

Risky for people with lung disease

High ozone levels are particularly dangerous for people with chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD or chronic bronchitis. In addition to difficult breathing, those affected who are exposed to high levels of ozone also experience more frequent shortness of breath and asthma attacks.

But that's not all: Studies carried out on behalf of the World Health Organization (WHO) show that more people die at high ozone concentrations - and not only from diseases of the respiratory tract but also of the cardiovascular system.

Sensitive and insensitive

Who gets health problems with high ozone content and who does not differ from person to person. 10 to 15 percent of the population are particularly sensitive. For this group, an ozone content of 180 micrograms per cubic meter averaged over an hour is problematic. This value is also called the information threshold. This year it has been exceeded several times in different regions of Germany.

When this threshold is reached, experts advise particularly sensitive people and those with respiratory diseases to exercise caution. Furthermore, small children as well as old and sick people should not be exposed to these values ​​for long periods of time.

You can use these tips to protect yourself:

• Find out about the ozone levels in your region on hot days. The Federal Environment Agency, for example, offers current information.
• If the ozone level rises above 180 micrograms per cubic meter, you should put physical activity, be it the everyday walk or shopping, into the morning hours. At this time, the ozone pollution is usually still low.
• If the ozone levels are very high, it is best to stay indoors. This applies in particular to the period from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. - this is where ozone pollution usually reaches its maximum value.
• If you suffer from a respiratory disease, you should avoid other air pollutants such as cigarette smoke on hot days to avoid additional irritation to the lungs.
• It is best to ventilate in the morning, when the air is still low on ozone, and then close all windows.

Alert Threshold - Everyone at Risk

In addition to the information threshold, there is another important limit: the alarm threshold. This is 240 micrograms per cubic meter. With this ozone content, the health of all people is at risk. Any physical activity outdoors should then be avoided: jogging and gardening are taboo with these values.

Exhaust gases as the cause

Ozone is a natural component of the earth's atmosphere. It protects the earth from the harmful UV rays. However, ozone is also formed in the lower layers of the atmosphere under strong solar radiation: Oxygen reacts with dirt particles in the air. In particular, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides (especially nitrogen dioxide) are involved in the reaction. These come primarily from automobile and industrial emissions. However, a certain proportion is also of natural origin. If a period of good weather continues, the ozone in the air accumulates and the load increases.

Contrary to expectations, the highest ozone levels do not occur in cities, but in suburban and rural regions. Because the nitrogen monoxide, which is also contained in the car exhaust, reacts directly with ozone to form nitrogen dioxide and oxygen: the ozone content drops. The resulting nitrogen dioxide and other ozone precursors from the exhaust gases, however, get out of the cities with the wind. The harmful ozone only forms kilometers away from the actual source.

Sources:

World Health Organization - Europe. Review of evidence on health aspects of air pollution - REVIHAAP.

Federal Environment Agency, www.umweltbundesamt.de, accessed on 07/27/0215

Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, www.bfr.bund.de, accessed on July 28, 2015

Tags:  gpp baby toddler womenshealth