Despite the fact that freon gases have a wide range of industrial applications and are chemically inert at room temperature, there are some side effects of these gases that were not anticipated during their synthesis in the lab. When UV rays were passed through these gases, it was discovered that the freon gases broke down and produced radical Halogen ions. These ions were extremely reactive, and in the stratosphere, they began reacting with the ozone gas, depleting the ozone layer and exposing the earth's surface to harmful ultraviolet radiation.