Ozone has a strong oxidation effect and has been used for disinfection and sterilization. In addition, ozone generators have increasingly been installed at some hospitals, where they have frequently been used for infection control against COVID-19.

Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the development of acute lung injury (ALI) and allergic asthma symptoms in untreated mice with their development in each mouse model with and without exposure to ozone. To confirm whether low concentrations of ozone influence the clinical condition of the respiratory system, we first measured oxygen saturation as measured by pulse oximetry (SpO2). Ozone exposure significantly reduced the amount of SpO2. Inflammatory cytokines such as MCP-1 and RANTES in the ALI were increased in low ozone exposure compared with normal mice. IgE levels in the allergic asthma mouse model were also increased in low ozone exposure.

Our results indicate that ozone at low concentrations, such as the currently acceptable concentration (0.1 ppm), has adverse effects on ALI and asthma model mice. These findings suggest that controlling chemicals at low concentrations such as ozone may improve the treatment of respiratory diseases such as ALI and asthma.