The harm of ozone layer depletion affects human health

The main function of the ozone layer is to absorb the sun's ultraviolet rays, protecting humans, animals and plants from harm by these ultraviolet rays. However, if the ozone layer is destroyed, human health will be greatly threatened, and crop production and many ecosystems will be affected.

1. It will affect human health.

After the ozone layer is destroyed, its ability to absorb ultraviolet rays is greatly reduced, which greatly increases the chance of humans being exposed to excessive ultraviolet radiation. On the one hand, excessive ultraviolet radiation can damage the human immune system, causing autoimmune system disorders and a significant increase in the number of people suffering from respiratory infectious diseases. On the other hand, excessive ultraviolet radiation can increase the incidence of skin cancer. According to statistics, approximately 100,000 people die from skin cancer each year worldwide, and most cases are related to excessive ultraviolet radiation. For every 1% depletion of ozone in the ozone layer, the incidence of skin cancer increases by 2%. In addition, excessive ultraviolet radiation can also induce various eye diseases, such as cataracts, corneal tumors, etc.

2. It will affect the production of crops.

Experiments have shown that excessive ultraviolet radiation can make plant leaves smaller, reducing the area for photosynthesis, thereby affecting crop yields. At the same time, excessive ultraviolet radiation can also affect the quality of some crop seeds, making crops more vulnerable to damage from weeds and pests and diseases. A preliminary study on soybeans showed that if the thickness of the ozone layer decreases by 25%, soybean production will decrease by 20%-25%.

3. It will affect aquatic ecosystems.

The results of the study show that the increase in ultraviolet radiation will directly cause damage to phytoplankton, zooplankton, larval fish and the entire aquatic food chain. It can be seen that the increase in ultraviolet radiation has a great impact on aquatic ecosystems.

After the ozone layer is destroyed, its ability to absorb ultraviolet radiation is weakened, which will bring many adverse effects to human health. Increased ultraviolet radiation will increase the number of people suffering from respiratory infectious diseases, increase the incidence of skin cancer and cataracts, and promote skin aging and disease.

Ozone depletion has uncertain effects on plants, such as smaller leaves and greater susceptibility to damage by weeds, pests and diseases. The increase in ultraviolet rays will also intensify smog in cities, accelerate the aging of organic materials such as rubber and plastic, and cause paint to fade. This destructive effect is more serious in tropical regions with high temperatures and abundant sunshine.