Pollution by ozone

2000/02/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biologia

For a long time, researchers have linked the excess of ozone with the damages suffered by plants. Because of the ozone, large quantities are lost each year in developed countries, but until now it was unknown how the ozone affected the plants, which closed the pores that the plants used to perform photosynthesis. A group of researchers has published a new explanation: ozone affects cells responsible for opening and closing pores and not pores.

The opening and closing of the pores is done by changing the flow of potassium ions in these cells; ozone affects the amount of potassium ions and inhibits the opening of the pores. The problem is usually especially serious in times of drought, where ozone is more abundant. In addition, ozone can pass through the pores and can damage the photosynthesis process.