Surface Ozone

Ozone is a chemical made up of three oxygen atoms. It is most often found in the upper atmosphere, where it is created naturally when energy from the sun breaks oxygen molecules (O2) in half and binds each atom to another O2 molecule. This form of ozone is good for the earth; it protects us from harmful UVB rays, which can damage crops and cause skin cancer.

Another form of ozone, however, is less benign. Called surface ozone, it is created in the lower atmosphere by chemicals like volatile organic compounds and Nitrogen oxides (VOCs come from various man-made chemical products like cleaners and paint, while NOx are created by combustion, as in car engines) and is corrosive, damaging plants, animals, and people. It can cause permanent lung damage in people who breathe it repeatedly. And what's more, it's pervasive, because the chemicals which create it come from the burning of fossil fuels, something that western society is completely dependent on and which no one can avoid doing in some aspect of their lives, whether driving, using electricity, or heating one's house.

Because of the dangers of "bad" ozone and its ubiquity, it's extremely important that we study it to figure out how to reduce it or protect against its effects. The role it plays in air pollution is significant and unavoidable, so we must learn as much as we can.