An impact of tropospheric ozone on population health
Growth of ozone content in troposophere, caused by air pollution and heat waves, could affect essentially on population health by negative structural, functional and biochemical changes in living organizms and thus lead to morbidity and mortality increase. Methods of the statistical correlation analysis were used in the present studies to reveal a relationship of some diseases with the ozone content in tropospheric air. Temporal series of ambulance calls related to cardio-vascular diseases and of average daily air temperatures and concentrations of tropospheric ozone were compared for summer time in 2008, 2009, 2010 years in Viatskie Poliany, Kirov Region, Russia. Temporal series of ambulance calls related to respiratory system diseases and of average daily air temperatures and concentrations of tropospheric ozone were compared for June-August in 2010 in Moscow City. Strong correlation of the ozone content with the rate of ambulance calls related to cardio-vascular diseases was observed at average daily ozone concentrations above 60 μg/m3 lasting from 13 to 16 days running, correlation coefficient is 0.62. The high level concentrations of tropospheric ozone observed in Moscow City were in strong correlation with the rate of ambulance calls related to respiratory system diseases. The correlation coefficient of hourly average maximum of ground ozone content with community-acquired pneumonia was found to be 0.787, and 0.808 with mortality.