Why ozone needs to be studied?

Ozone is one of those insidious entities that can benefit and harm all at the same time. And, more importantly, being an outcome of secondary photochemical reactions, its presence or absence is controlled by myriad different substances that man has little control over –- at least not in the near future. As policy makers and environmentalists rejoice, with the stratospheric ozone recovering from the assault of CFCs, tropospheric ozone unleashes havoc over the living world. From adverse health effects to reduced crop yields, and the all-too-familiar urban smog, ground ozone is impacting human lives significantly. Ozone is a troublesome greenhouse gas next only to carbon dioxide and methane. The Central Pollution Control Board monitors ozone as one of the components of ambient surface air quality. This issue of G’nY is dedicated to this double-edged ozone with interesting papers highlighting various studies, policies and strategies that will help understand the outcomes better.

Happy reading.