Ozone generated by air purifier in low concentrations: friend or foe?

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2017 Oct;24(28):22673-22678. doi: 10.1007/s11356-017-9887-3. Epub 2017 Aug 16.

Abstract

Ozone helps decontamination environments due to its oxidative power, however present toxicity when it is in high concentrations, by long periods of exposition. This study aimed to assess the safety of ozone generator air purifier at concentrations of 0.05 ppm in rats exposed to 3 and 24 h/day for 14 and 28 days. No significant differences are observed between groups in clinical signs, feed and water intake, relative body weight gain and relative weight of organs, macroscopy and microscopy of lungs, and oxidative plasma assay. In this exposure regime, ozone does not cause genotoxicity and no significant changes in pulmonary histology indicative of toxicity. Ozone generated in low concentrations, even in exposure regimes above the recommended is safe, both acute and sub-acute exposition.

Keywords: Acute toxicity; Comet assay; Micronucleus; Oxidative stress; Ozone; Rats; Sub-acute toxicity.

MeSH terms

  • Air Conditioning / instrumentation
  • Air Conditioning / standards*
  • Animals
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Bone Marrow Cells / drug effects
  • Bone Marrow Cells / pathology
  • Comet Assay
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Inhalation Exposure
  • Lung / drug effects
  • Lung / pathology
  • Male
  • Micronucleus Tests
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Ozone / analysis*
  • Ozone / toxicity*
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Toxicity Tests, Acute
  • Toxicity Tests, Subacute

Substances

  • Ozone