Air Pollution and Effects of Tropospheric Ozone (O 3 ) on Public Health

Pavlos Vongelis (), Nikolaos G. Koulouris, Petros Bakakos and Nikoletta Rovina
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Pavlos Vongelis: Respiratory Function Laboratory, 1st Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sotiria Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens GR-11527, Greece
Nikolaos G. Koulouris: Respiratory Function Laboratory, 1st Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sotiria Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens GR-11527, Greece
Petros Bakakos: Respiratory Function Laboratory, 1st Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sotiria Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens GR-11527, Greece
Nikoletta Rovina: Respiratory Function Laboratory, 1st Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sotiria Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens GR-11527, Greece

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: Air pollution is a significant and widespread issue that presents serious challenges for both human health and the environment because of the presence of a variety of harmful substances in the air, such as tropospheric ozone (O 3 ), particulate matter (PM 10 ), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), and carbon monoxide (CO). In this research, the aim is to evaluate the current evidence for the harmful effects of air pollution on human health, focusing on tropospheric ozone, and to highlight the need for further research in the future. The objective is to evaluate recent data on the respiratory and cardiovascular risks caused by air pollution, the potential association between climate change due to air pollution and human disorders, and the subsequent economic burden. A systematic search of the literature is conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and regulatory reports (EPA), focusing on peer-reviewed studies, epidemiological analyses, and clinical and experimental studies. The key findings indicate that O₃ exposure contributes to inflammatory lung injury and to the worsening of preexisting conditions like asthma and COPD, is associated with cancer, and also has numerous negative impacts on neurological, metabolic, and reproductive health, combined with increased healthcare costs. These findings highlight the significance of O₃ pollution as a major public health concern, emphasizing the need for immediate measures to decrease emissions and effective policies to protect the climate and the health of the individuals.

Keywords: chronic airway narrowing; tropospheric ozone (O3); sulfur dioxide (SO2); particulate matter (PM10); asthma; COPD; nitrogen oxides (NOx) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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