Composition and Sources of Atmospheric Organic Aerosol and their Negative Health Effects

Obiettivo

Atmospheric aerosol particles are key components of the earth’s climate system and are one of the major air pollution components. In both areas large uncertainties are associated with aerosol effects. The chemical composition is a major parameter determining the effects of aerosols on the climate and their health effects. A major but poorly defined fraction of the aerosol is organic material formed within the atmosphere (so-called Secondary Organic Aerosol, SOA). Only a comprehensive chemical analysis of SOA simulated in laboratory experiments can rigorously identify and quantify SOA sources. However, only a small minority of the SOA mass can be characterized on a molecular level due to fundamental limitations of conventional analytical-chemical techniques. Thus, there is a large uncertainty how accurate current laboratory experiments mimic atmospheric SOA. This uncertainly critically limits our ability to assess the role of aerosols in the climate system, to determine their toxicity and also constrains further improvements of legal limits for ambient particle concentrations.
The main SOA sources will be identified in this project in unprecedented detail by developing novel analytical techniques to characterize SOA comprehensively (mainly ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry). Generation of SOA in improved laboratory experiments and comparison with field samples will help to overcome the long-standing uncertainties described above.
Particle properties responsible for health effects are poorly understood, but oxidizing particle components are likely important in understanding particle-cell interactions. Compound classes in SOA will be quantified, which are potentially damaging biological tissue such as peroxides and radicals, using the strongly improved laboratory conditions to simulate accurately SOA. For these studies new, fast online spectroscopic techniques will be developed to accurately quantify these highly reactive and short-lived particle components.

Campo scientifico

Meccanismo di finanziamento

ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant

Istituzione ospitante

THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE

Contributo UE

€ 1 495 851,00

Indirizzo

TRINITY LANE THE OLD SCHOOLS
CB2 1TN Cambridge
Regno Unito

Regione

East of England East Anglia Cambridgeshire CC

Tipo di attività

Higher or Secondary Education Establishments

Ricercatore principale

Markus Kalberer (Dr.)

Contatto amministrativo

Renata Schaeffer (Ms.)

Collegamenti

Contatta l’organizzazione Sito web

Costo totale

Nessun dato

Beneficiari (1)