Ground-level ozone irritates the lungs, posing significant health problems for many people. The health effects from exposure to ground-level ozone can be serious, reducing lung function and exacerbating asthma and other respiratory diseases. Exposure to ozone can reduce the breathing ability of even healthy people who are exercising moderately.
Children are especially at risk.
They breathe in more air for their body weight than adults and tend to spend a lot of time outdoors in the summer. Older people, and those whose lungs are already impaired by asthma or some other respiratory disease, are also at risk. IDEM, Office of Air Management Ozone Contributors Nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds react in the presence of sunlight to form ground-level ozone. Nitrogen oxides are a brownish gas produced by fossil fuel combustion from sources such as cars and power plants. It irritates lungs and can lead to respiratory infections.