Psychomotor performance during ozone exposure: spectral and discriminant function analysis of EEG

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of ozone on the electroencephalogram during psychomotor performance. The first experiment consisted of a 2-h visual sustained attention task in room air and 0.75 parts per million (ppm) ozone. The second experiment was a divided attention study which combined a visual choice reaction time situation with an auditory sustained attention task. Ozone levels in this experiment were 0.0 ppm, 0.3 ppm, and 0.75 ppm. Spectral and discriminant function analyses were performed on the EEG collected during these studies. Attempts were made to categorize the EEG between different ozone levels, at rest, during each task performance, and between task and no-task performance within each ambient air condition. Discriminations between conditions for individuals were quite good, but discriminations for the combined subjects were disappointing with the exception of those between task and no-task conditions, which were moderately good.