OZONE TOXICITY

Course overview

OZONE NORMALLY OCCURS IN A GAS STATE AS THREE ATOMS OF OXYGEN (O) LINKED IN A CYCLIC STRUCTURE AND IS A BY-PRODUCT OF WATER PURIFICATION, BLEACHING AND ANY PROCESS GENERATING A SPARK OR ELECTRIC ARC IN THE PRESENCE OF OXYGEN. IT IS ALSO FOUND IN THE ATMOSPHERE, WITH HIGHER ALTITUDES CONTAINING HIGHER LEVELS OF OZONE. OZONE IS ALSO AN ENVIRONMENTAL AIR POLLUTANT ALONG WITH OTHERS SUCH AS SULFUR DIOXIDE AND PARTICULATE MATTER. OZONE CAN REACT WITH AIR AND CREATE NITROGEN DIOXIDE, ANOTHER AIR POLLUTANT IF IT IS IMPROPERLY GENERATED. IN SPITE OF THIS, OZONE CAN BE GENERATED BY MEDICAL DEVICES FOR THERAPEUTIC PURPOSES. OUTSIDE OF MEDICINE, OZONE HAS BEEN PROPOSED FOR USE IN VARIOUS SETTINGS SUCH AS IN THE PRETREATMENT OF TEXTILE WASTEWATER. WHILE OZONE ITSELF CAN CAUSE HEALTH TROUBLES, IT CAN ALSO REACT WITH CHEMICALS FOUND IN A MULTITUDE OF PRODUCTS TO LEAD TO OTHER POTENTIALLY TOXIC SUBSTANCES SUCH AS FORMALDEHYDE. DESPITE PROPONENTS FOR ITS USE AND THE POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS, TOXICITY CAN OCCUR EVEN AT ENVIRONMENTAL LEVELS AND MAY BE RELATED TO CARDIAC, RESPIRATORY, AND NEUROLOGIC EVENTS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT/PREVENTION OF OZONE TOXICITY, AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.