Recommendations for air quality standards for nitrogen dioxide and ozone

The acute health effects of nitrogen dioxide and ozone critical to the general population are summarized. For long-term exposures to the former in the outdoor environment a six-month average limit value of 80 micrograms/m3 is recommended for the wintertime. When "new" residential areas are planned or when the limit value is used as an air quality standard for the nonindustrial indoor environment, the adequate six-months' average limit value for the winter would be 50 micrograms/m3. For short-term exposures to nitrogen dioxide outdoors a limit value of 320 micrograms/m3 (1-h average) is recommended, not to be exceeded more than 12 h per year, each time during a maximum of 2 h. This value should apply only to "old" residential areas in which nitrogen dioxide pollution cannot be reduced without large economical and practical consequences. The value 190 micrograms/m3 (1-h average), not to be exceeded more than 12 h per year, should apply to most residential areas, to recreational areas, and to all nonindustrial indoor environments. For short-term exposures to photochemical oxidants, as represented by ozone in nonindustrial outdoor environments, the acceptable short-term limit value should be 120 micrograms/m3 (1-h average), not to be exceeded more than 12 h per year. An additional 1-h outdoor ceiling value of 200 micrograms/m3 is recommended, not to be exceeded. For the nonindustrial indoor environment a 1-h ceiling value of 100 micrograms/m3 is recommended, not to be exceeded.