Photochemical ozone creation potential

Lars Wietschel

Chapter 121 in Elgar Encyclopedia of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment, 2026, pp 452-456 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Ground-level ozone, also called summer smog or tropospheric ozone, is a consequential secondary pollutant formed through intricate interactions between its precursor emissions nitrogen oxides (NOx) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) under sunlight at elevated temperatures. Ozone is a highly oxidative atmospheric pollutant that poses severe threats to human health, animals, and vegetation. Tropospheric ozone formation is a complex, non-linear, and dynamic process with intricate chemistry, which necessitates a nuanced approach to its characterization in life cycle (sustainability) assessments. The damages to human health incurred due to photochemical ozone can be immediate through inflammation reactions in the respiratory system and eyes and long-term especially in humans exposed regularly to elevated ozone levels. Particularly, humans with pre-existing respiratory disease can suffer from ozone exposure. Ground-level ozone can also damage the photosynthetic organs and surfaces of plants. Ozone can be mitigated by a reduction of precursor emissions with high photochemical ozone creation potential. Most of the existing Life Cycle Impact Assessment methodologies provide an impact category for characterizing substances with ozone creation potential with only minor differences in the characterization factors.

Keywords: Summer smog; Tropospheric ozone; Atmospheric pollutant; Respiratory ailments; Oxidation potential; NMVOC (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035309887
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