Respro - Urban Survival Equipment

View Technical Information on:

• Avian Influenza
• Chemistry of Hydrocarbons
• Do masks really work?
• Mold
• Decomposition of Low Level Ozone in the Urban Environment
• Pollen Calendar
• SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)
• Understanding OEL

Decomposition of Low Level Ozone in the Urban Environment

Ozone is a result of the chemical reaction between sunlight and nitrogen oxide. The products of this reaction are nitrogen dioxide and ozone. Ozone is detrimental to the tissues of the lung and causes irreparable damage.

As a gaseous form it is thermodynamically unstable therefore catalytically reacting with carbon acting as a catalyst. It is catalytically converts from 2 molecules of ozone to three molecules of oxygen. There may be some other chemical reactions occurring within the charcoal as ozone will react with impurities such as unsaturated hydrocarbons and metals that may have collected in the filter.

The levels of concentrations that are present especially on a bright sunny day have been recorded as high as 0.6 ppm (600 ppb) in places like Los Angeles and in London levels have exceeded 0.1 ppm (100 ppb). It is recommended that protection be used at the levels of 0.1 ppm for a time weighted average.