As you may know, ozone is a gas. Ozone molecules have three oxygen atoms (O₃), unlike the oxygen in the air that gives life to the planet (O₂). Ozone is powerful because the extra oxygen atom can easily escape and attach to other substances. This highly reactive quality can potentially alter the chemical composition of some substances in the air and affect our cells if we breathe it in.

When you hear the term “ozone” you may think of the ozone layer, which protects all life from the dangerous UV radiation of the sun. This is the “good” ozone that is present in the stratosphere. But the ozone at ground level is “bad” since it is hazardous to health and is classified as an air pollutant by the EPA. Ozone at the ground level is created in nature by the interaction of sunlight with certain chemicals that are released to the environment, including vehicle and industrial plant emissions. It is also created when lightning strikes, which is why you may be able to smell ozone after a storm. Ozone, whether pure or mixed with other chemicals, can be harmful to health.