Dangers of Smog (Essay Sample)

Dangers of Smog
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Smog is a form of air pollution that is particularly hazardous on hot days. It describes a mixture of emissions from industry pollutants, vehicles and incinerators under specific climate conditions. Photochemical smog carries contaminants such as colorless and odorless gas known as ozone. Further, it is most common in big cities with many industrial plants. However, even people who live in suburban areas are required to be cautious of the dangers associated with smog.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (2009), it is dangerous to breathe too much smog. It contains ozone, which is a health-harming pollutant. High levels of ozone gas are the precursor of several hazardous health effects in the respiratory system such as the lung cancer (Morton and Guignard, 2013). Therefore, smog exposure is the precursor of different kinds of short-term respiratory problems.
First, a person exposed to elevated levels of ozone gas can irritate the respiratory system. As Ross and Amter (2010) demonstrated, smog causes mild symptoms that commonly last for a few hours after the exposure. However, the detrimental effects of ozone continue harming the lung even after the symptoms have disappeared. Nonetheless, exposure to smog triggers asthma attacks.
Secondly, smog damages the lungs because of the ozone effect on its function. In essence, it destroys the inner lining of the lungs. Consequently, smog makes it difficult to breathe deeply during the exercise (Thomas, 2009). However, smog affects people differently; some groups are more vulnerable than others. For example, people suffering from asthma need to be especially careful on summer periods.
It is necessary for people to recognize smog when ozone exposure reaches unhealthy levels. Simple precaution mechanism includes limiting outdoor activities. El...