Air quality on the I-5 corridor

The air quality along the I-5 corridor is worsening in the Rogue Valley and also the Sacramento Valley from Redding and south to the San Joaqin Valley. The emissions from diesel trucks, SUVs and other large vehicles is causing a worsening of asthma conditions..

http://www.earthjustice.org/urgent/display.html?ID=65

The valley effect of smog basins like the two above makes the sprawl occuring along the I-5 corridor a growing health risk. Nitrogen dioxide emitted from vehicles turns the air hazy and brown. The inhalation of nitrogen dioxide causes lung problems and breathing difficulty..

Sunlight and nitrogen dioxide (NOx) equal ozone, also a carcinogen. Ozone at high altitudes (strasophere) is beneficial in blocking harmful UV radiation, though this is depleted because of chlorofluorocarbons). Ground level (tropospheric) ozone from NOx emmissions are harmful and carcinogenic.

Asthma and lung cancer in cities like LA and Houston is a result of smog containing NOx and tropospheric ozone. Though newer vehicles claim cleanliness, this is mostly advertising hype. There are still considerable emissions from newr vehicles, enough ppm to create a visible smog layer..

Carbon monoxide (CO) is also emitted from vehicles, this deprives the brain of oxygen and causes cell death. The iron in hemoglobin is 200 times more attracted to a CO molecule than to oxygen. The hemoglobin is now rendered unable to transport the oxygen to cells..

Symptoms of low level carbon monoxide exposure are depression, irritability (?road rage?) and dizzyness. These symptoms can be ongoing and are often misdiagnosed as mental health disorders. They are a result of vehicles burning fossil fuels and consuming oxygen while emitting carbon monoxide. This lowers the balance of oxygen to CO in the surrounding breathing space. The more carbon monoxide inhaled, the more cells die..

The effect of carbon monoxide poisoning on children is far worse than adults..