Ozone

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radiation from reaching the surface
of the earth (Environment Canada, 1996). Ozone is very important to life on
earth because the harmfulness of high-energy UV-B radiation stems from the high
energy of these light rays, enabling them to penetrate deeply into water, plant
tissue and epidermal tissue of animals. Increased UV-B radiation results in
harming the metabolic system of cells and ultimately damage to genetic material
present in effected cells. Living organisms on the surface of the earth have
always been exposed to some, and only slightly differing levels of UV-B
radiation depending of geographic location and season. Through evolution,
cellular repair mechanisms have evolved to safeguard cells against damage done
by UV-B radiation. With the increase in the UV-B radiation, more damage is done
to cellular functions then the natural protection system can deal with
(Environment Canada, 1996). Life on earth would more or less be void if not for
the formation of the ozone layer ...

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both
chlorine and/or bromine to the atmosphere. Both chlorine and bromine are
attributed to ozone destruction. The most commonly know group of these are
called CFCs, chlorofluorocarbons. Chlorofluorocarbons are utilized for many
industrial and domestic applications. At the earth surface, these molecules
remain stable. However, with their release into the atmosphere they are
subject to global air currents, winds aloft and atmospheric mixing, causing them
to drift up into the stratosphere. Other chemicals such as halons, carbon
tetrachloride and methyl chloroform, also attribute to ozone depletion. However
some naturally found molecules in the stratosphere, such as nitrous ...

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