At lower concentrations it can irritate the lungs and lower the body's resistance to respiratory infections such as influenza, pneumonia, and bronchitis. As mentioned above, nitrogen oxides that combine with hydrocarbons and other volatile organic compounds form ozone. Ozone can pose serious health problems. It can inflame and irritate breathing passages, reduce resistance to illnesses, and cause coughing and wheezing. In addition to their effects on human health, nitrogen oxides can damage other organisms and materials through their role in producing ozone.
Ozone can reduce the size of plants and cause leaf spotting.
It can change the color of clothing dyes, cause fabrics to lose strength, and corrode some metals. Nitrogen oxides also produce a brown haze that impairs visibility. Ecology evaluates the potential of new sources to harm visibility and applies stringent emission limits to protect our state's scenic resources. In addition, nitrogen oxides are one of the ingredients of acid rain. Acid rain changes the chemistry of lakes and streams, which destroys aquatic life.