Ozone Gases At Ground Level Pose A Danger To Us

A study that might see people paying more attention to the air we all breathe in has been released in ‘The New England Journal of Medicine’.

The research showed that extended exposure to ground level ozone gases substantially increases the risk of dying from respiratory problems. In fact, the risk is at least 30% larger in the metro areas that have the highest ozone concentrations when compared to the places with the lowest concentrations of ozone gases.

It followed 450,000 subjects in 96 metropolitan regions over an 18-year period. During this time, Riverside California had the highest daily average concentrations, whilst, at the other end of the scale, the lowest were recorded in San Francisco.

More often than not, cities in the northeast part of the country had lesser concentrations than states in the west like California - Los Angeles was shown to have a 43% bigger risk, while Washington DC came in at 27% and New York at 25%.

A good way to lower the risk is to your outdoors jobs and chores in the morning, or later on in the day so as to be out of the way for the sunniest, hottest hours, particularly should you be living in one of the warmer climates. Having your windows closed when ozone levels are highest is also a good idea.

On the whole, keep yourself aware of the world you live in. Seriously consider limiting your exposure to something that experts are increasingly finding to be dangerous. This research on itself isn’t conclusive but it gives a strong indication of the danger that is all around us.

If you, or someone you love, be suffering from respiratory problems, you should find out the ozone levels in the town or city in which you or they reside. Though it may seem drastic to move to another area, it could literally result in extending yours or their life.