Inorganic gases

The access of contaminated air from outside is the main source of inorganic gases in the interior spaces. Other sources are the use of ultraviolet light technology.

Ozone in the troposphere acts as an ultraviolet ray filter. However, on the earth’s surface or inside spaces, it works as an air pollutant.

Higher concentrations of ozone appear when there are higher solar radiation and emissions of volatile organic compounds. Thus, the volatile organic compounds are capable of reacting and producing photochemical oxidants that impel the creation of ozone.

In enclosed spaces, the main ozone precursors are the volatile organic compounds together with the presence of UV light (lights, electric shock and photocopiers).

Ozone penetrates through the respiratory tract and due to its highly oxidizing properties it causes the irritation of the mucous membranes and the lung tissues, which leads to irritation of eyes, cough, headaches and chest pain, among other effects.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in its air quality guide associates daily mortality with ozone levels.

The use of ozone-generating air purifiers may worsen ambient air instead of improving it as the effectiveness of eliminating pollutants in the gas phase (nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde) is low.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is mainly due to the oxidation of nitrogen monoxide (NO) that occurs in combustion of the engines of the vehicles, essentially diesel. Nitrogen monoxide emitted by engines, once in the atmosphere, is oxidized and transformed into nitrogen dioxide.

NO2 in nature is produced by forest fires or volcanic eruptions. It is also produced naturally by the decomposition of organic nitrates. However, the total volume that appears naturally is infinitely lower than what is produced by the effect of mankind.

WHO warns of the serious consequences that a very high concentration of nitrogen dioxide has for our health. Children, the elderly, and people with health problems (such as asthma, heart and lung diseases) would be the most affected.

For human health, its effects mainly include airway inflammation, organ disorders, such as liver or spleen, or systems, such as the circulatory or immune system, which in turn cause pulmonary infections and respiratory insufficiencies.

On the other hand, nitrogen dioxide also provokes the formation of particulate dust, especially fine PM2.5 particles, which are the most harmful. In reaction with sunlight, UV is also a precursor of ozone formation in reaction to volatile organic compounds such as formaldehyde, which potentially worsens the aforementioned consequences on health.