High Level Summary of Statistics Trend Last update: Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Ground Level Ozone Concentration
Ozone in the stratosphere forms a layer that protects the earth against harmful ultra-violet radiation, but tropospheric (ground level) ozone is a damaging oxidant. Exposure to high ozone concentrations can cause respiratory damage, and affects vegetation by damaging leaves and reducing yields.
Ozone is formed by a slow, complicated series of reactions from other pollutants that may be blown over from Europe. The most important man-made precursors are nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds produced by road transport, industrial processes and solvent use. Ozone concentrations tend to be lower in urban areas where it is converted to nitrogen dioxide by reacting with nitrogen oxides.
The Air Quality Strategy 1 objective for ground level ozone (to be met by 2005) was for the maximum daily concentration (measured as an 8-hour running mean) of 100µg/m 3 not to be exceeded more than 10 times a year. (Objective not currently included in the Air Quality Regulations because of the transboundary nature of ozone). In 2010, this objective was met at 10 of the 11 sites with more than 75% data capture, including Strath Vaich and Bush Estate.
View chart data
Source: Scotland Air Quality Data and Statistics Database
Note (1): Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Scottish Executive, Welsh Assembly Government and DOE Northern Ireland. The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Further Information