Objective
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.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology environmental engineering air pollution engineering
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences environmental sciences pollution
- natural sciences chemical sciences analytical chemistry mass spectrometry
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
ERC-2011-StG_20101014
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Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Host institution
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.