Is wearing a mask ineffective in preventing ozone damage when ozone strikes?

On June 4th, ozone will become the primary air pollutant in Beijing. Not only in Beijing, but also according to the results of the national air quality forecast meeting in the first half of June notified by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, most of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, most of Shandong, and some cities in northern Henan are affected by the continuous high temperature near the surface and southerly winds, and there may be light to moderate ozone pollution.

Some research data show that indoor ozone exposure is 1.7 times of outdoor ozone exposure. Therefore, at noon when the ozone concentration is high, the number of indoor ventilation should be reduced; If conditions permit, indoor air purification equipment can be turned on, and filter materials such as activated carbon can effectively adsorb and remove ozone in the air, and open windows for ventilation in cool early morning and late night; When the laser printer works, it will release ozone and dust, so try to stay away from it.

At ordinary times, it is also necessary to appropriately increase physical exercise, improve physical fitness and enhance immunity, which can appropriately reduce the damage of ozone to the upper respiratory tract. It is worth noting that, unlike the prevention of PM2.5 hazards, wearing a mask is ineffective in preventing ozone hazards.

Tang Xiaoyan, an academician of China Academy of Engineering and a professor of Peking University, explained that when the temperature is high and the sunshine is relatively strong, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere undergo photochemical reactions under ultraviolet irradiation, resulting in ozone.

As a strong oxidant, the harm of ozone to health can not be ignored. Ozone can strongly stimulate human respiratory tract, causing sore throat, bronchitis and emphysema; It may even lead to nerve poisoning, dizziness and headache, decreased vision and memory; Destroy human immune function, induce lymphocyte chromosome lesions, accelerate aging and so on. High concentrations of ozone can also harm crops and other plants.