Air pollution problems, especially those relating to particulate matter (aerosols), are complex due to the number of sources (e.g. vehicle exhaust and non-exhaust, industry, power generation, domestic fuel burning, construction activities, etc) and atmospheric reactions. The Aerosol Science Team specialises in highly time-resolved measurements of aerosol physical and chemical characteristics, as well as detailed measurements of gas concentrations, to better understand the influence of these sources.

Research is based around the London Atmospheric Observatories or ‘Supersites’ and our Mobile Atmospheric Research Platform – MARPL. These provide local, national and international perspectives on the physical and chemical composition of aerosols. Measurements are combined with advanced data analysis tools to offer new opportunities to quantify source contributions, determine real world pollution emissions and to further refine our air pollution modelling and population exposure assessments.

Projects:

Metagenomics and Metadesign of the Subways and Urban Biomes (MetaSUB) 

Dust Sampling Research Study to understand the health impacts on London Underground Workers 

MRC London Underground Project

RSSB Project – Air Quality on Trains 

NERC Air Quality Supersites

The Research Infrastructures Services Reinforcing Air Quality Monitoring Capacities in European Urban & Industrial AreaS (RI-URBANS)

Defra Particle Numbers and Concentrations Network

Assessing the Impact of Non-exhaust Emissions from Traffic on the Asthmatic Airway (IONA)