Impacts of Photochemical Oxidants (Ozone)
Photochemical oxidants are the products of reactions between NOx and a wide variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The most well known 'oxidants' are ozone (O3), peroxyacetyle nitrate (PAN) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The main impact on the natural environment is mostly due to elevated O3. Excessive concentrations of tropospheric (ground level) O3 have toxic effects on both plants (Davison & Barnes, 1998; Ashmore, 2002; Long & Naidu, 2002) and human health.