March 16, 2009 -- On days when ozone levels are high, breathing can be difficult and exercising outdoors is usually discouraged. Now research shows that breathing in the gas year in and year out can lead to chronic and deadly lung disease. A study of nearly half a million people found that the risk of dying from lung disease went up by as much as 50 percent in cities with the highest levels of ozone. Repeated daily exposures to even moderate levels of ozone proved far worse than occasional exposure to high levels. It is the first study to look at the effects on the lungs of breathing in ozone, day after day, year after year. And it suggests that current regulations may be missing the mark. Related Content:
"The standard we have in the United States protects you against peaks," said George Thurston, an environmental health scientist at New York University. "It doesn't do anything to protect you against cumulative long-term exposure." Exposure is widespread. Ozone, or O3, comes from vehicle emissions and coal-fired power plants, among other sources. Wind spreads the gas, which tends to sit and smother cities in valleys, like Los Angeles. Way up high in the atmosphere, ozone absorbs ultraviolet rays and protects the planet. Down here, however, the gas irritates and inflames our lungs, which is one reason why exercising in polluted places can exacerbate asthma and other health problems. Over time, chronic exposure to ozone can eat away at the lungs and cause serious diseases. But evidence has been murky, because most studies have looked at all types of pollution together, and few have separated the harm done to the lungs from harm done to the heart. So, to quantify for the first time what repeated ozone exposure actually does to lung health, Thurston and colleagues tapped into a database of nearly 500,000 people, collected by the American Cancer Society. The data set included information about age, race, sex, weight, alcohol use, and nearly everything else that might influence health. The researchers also collected 20 years-worth of pollution records from the cities where study participants lived. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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