Effects of a Photochemical Smog

Smog is a type of air pollution that is caused by the interaction of sunlight with certain
chemicals in the atmosphere including aldehydes and the ozone particles themselves. The
word smog is derivative of two combined words Smoke and Fog. The chemical reaction of
sunlight, Nitrogen oxides and the volatile organic compounds leaves particulate matter at
ground level zone and this leads to what we refer to as a Photochemical Smog.
a) Sources and Environmental Effects

Environmental

Toxic Chemical Sources

Additional Notes

Effects
- decreased visibility
due

- combustion of oil,
coal,
Nitrogen
Oxides
(NO and NO2)

gas

in

automobiles

both
and

industry
- bacterial action in soil
- forest fires
- volcanic action
- lightning

to

yellowish

color of NO2
- NO2 contributes to - all combustion processes
heart

and

lung account for only 5 % of

problems

NO2 in

- NO2 can suppress most

plantgrowth
-

the
is

atmosphere,

formed

from

reactions involving NO

decreased -concentrations likely to

resistance

to rise in the future

infection
- may encourage the
spread of cancer

Volatile

evaporation

of - eye irritation

Organic

solvents

Compounds

- evaporation of fuels

irritation

(VOCs)

incomplete -

- the effects of VOCs are

respiratory dependent on the type of

some

combustion of fossil carcinogenic

chemical
are - samples show over 600
different

VOCs

in

fuels
- naturally occurring
compounds

like

terpenes from trees

- decreased visibility atmosphere

due to blue-brown - concentrations likely to
haze

continue to rise in future

bronchial

constriction
-

coughing,

wheezing
-

formed

from irritation

photolysis of NO2
Ozone (O3)

sometimes

from

respiratory

decreased

crop

stratospheric yields

ozone intrusions

retards

plant

growth
breaks

- people with asthma and

respiratory problems are
influenced the most
- can only be formed
during daylight hours

- damages plastics
-

parts per million can reduce

photosynthesis by 50 %

- eye irritation

results -

- concentrations of 0.1

down

rubber
- harsh odor
- eye irritation
Peroxyacetyl
Nitrates (PAN)

formed

by

the - high toxicity to

reaction of NO2 with plants

VOCs (can be formed naturally

in

environments)

respiratory

some irritation
-

damaging

proteins

to

- was not detected until

recognized in smog
- higher toxicity to plants
than ozone

b) Effect on human health

Photochemical Smog is also hazardous to human health. Photochemical smog causes premature deaths and creates a lot of problems for even normal people. It can affect densely
populated areas and can build up to dangerous levels. The most affected include senior
citizens, children and people with heart complications who tend to suffer from bronchitis and
asthma. The photochemical smog is the cause of inflamed breathing passages which cause
decrease in the working capacity of normal lungs, pain in inhaling deeply and shortness of
breath.
Ground-level ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide are especially
harmful for senior citizens, children, and people with heart and lung conditions such as
emphysema, bronchitis, and asthma.[18] It can inflame breathing passages, decrease the
lungs' working capacity, cause shortness of breath, pain when inhaling deeply, wheezing, and
coughing. It can cause eye and nose irritation and it dries out the protective membranes of the
nose and throat and interferes with the body's ability to fight infection, increasing
susceptibility to illness. Hospital admissions and respiratory deaths often increase during
periods when ozone levels are high.
Levels of unhealthy exposure
The U.S. EPA has developed an Air Quality Index to help explain air pollution levels to the
general public. 8 hour average ozone concentrations of 85 to 104 ppbv are described as
"Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups", 105 ppbv to 124 ppbv as "unhealthy" and 125 ppb to 404
ppb as "very unhealthy".[18] The "very unhealthy" range for some other pollutants are: 355
g m3 - 424 g m3 for PM10; 15.5 ppm - 30.4ppm for CO and 0.65 ppm - 1.24 ppm for
NO2.

Premature deaths due to cancer and respiratory disease

The Ontario Medical Association announced that smog is responsible for an estimated 9,500
premature deaths in the province each year.
A 20-year American Cancer Society study found that cumulative exposure also increases the
likelihood of premature death from a respiratory disease, implying the 8-hour standard may
be insufficient.
Smog and the risk of certain birth defects
A study examining 806 women who had babies with birth defects between 1997 and 2006,
and 849 women who had healthy babies, found that smog in the San Joaquin Valley area of
California was linked to two types of neural tube defects: spina bifida (a condition involving,
among other manifestations, certain malformations of the spinal column), and anencephaly
(the underdevelopment or absence of part or all of the brain, which if not fatal usually results
in profound impairment).
Smog and low birth weight
According to a study published in The Lancet, even a very small (5 g) change in PM2.5
exposure was associated with an increase (18%) in risk of a low birth weight at delivery, and
this relationship held even below the current accepted safe levels.