Role of Ozone Precursors in Tropospheric Ozone Formation and Control: A Report toCongress

摘要

Tropospheric ozone pollution, which occurs at ground level and is the majorcomponent of ground-level summertime smog, remains an important environmental and health concern despite nearly 20 years of regulatory efforts. Ozone is a secondary pollutant formed in the atmosphere by reactions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) in the presence of sunlight. Carbon monoxide (CO) also plays a role in the formation of ozone. Major sources of VOCs include exhaust and evaporative emissions from motor vehicles, emissions from solvent use and emissions from the chemical and petroleum industries. The following EPA perspectives identify two key components (strategy selection; modeling and data bases) which must be addressed in resolving the tropospheric ozone problem.