The Toxicity of Ozone a Constituent of "Smog"

Journal/Book: Reprinted from THE JOURNAL OF APPLIED NUTRITION Volume 12 Number 1 1959. 1959;

Abstract: Major cities throughout the world are suffering from increasing air pollution. Since smog toxicity affects man and animals as well as plants it is imperative to know more about the harmful constituents and their short and long term effects. A study of cellular metabolism would seem to be most promising in this respect. H. T. Freebairn Ph.D. Riverside California Dr. Freebairn received his Ph.D. in biochemistry at Oregon State College in 1955. He is now Assistant Biochemist in Research at the Citrus Experiment Station Department of Biochemistry Riverside California. He has published articles on plant biochemistry and on the biochemical effects of air pollutants on plant and animal enzyme systems. Dr. Freebairn is a member of numerous scientific societies including the American Chemical Society The American Society of Plant Physiologists and the Air Pollution Control Association. Over the years an ever increasing effort has been expended on the study and control of the contamination of the air around major cities and agricultural areas. This air pollution has resulted in the past from specific practices of industry however during the last decade the exhaust gases of the automobile and the smoke from burning practices have caused a new type of air pollution problem which appears to be world wide in extent. Investigators in the field have accumulated sufficient information about this new oxidized hydrocarbon type of air pollution to establish the identity of one of its major poisonous agents. Because of this it is worthwhile to look over the information which is known regarding the toxicity of one of the many poisonous agents involved and to consider its abundance properties classification and biochemical effects in relation to plant and animal well being in urban localities. Many different types of oxidizing agents are probably present in the oxidized hydrocarbon type of smog. Little is known regarding the toxicity of most of the organic and many inorganic oxidants involved and because of this the present paper will be specifically concerned with ozone. It should be borne in mind therefore that the effects of the oxidant type of smog on plants and animals in naturally occurring smog are the result of the action of many different organic and inorganic compounds only one of which we are considering here. ... ___MH

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