Atmospheric Chemistry
The 17th European Atmospheric Chemistry and Air Quality workshop was held at the University of Birmingham from 25-27th September 2019. Attended by over 50 researchers from across Europe, the workshop consisted of contributed talks, facility visits, and the conference dinner.
The meeting opened with Tim Wallington (Ford Motor Company) setting out progress and challenges in reducing emissions from vehicles. Tim outlined the advances made through use of catalytic converter technologies within petrol vehicles, and diesel particulate filtration. The discussion focussed upon impacts of the anticipated trend towards Electric Vehicles (EVs), with reduced at-tailpipe exhaust emissions, but potential for different brake, tyre and road surface contributions (reflecting regeneration and greater weight).
Subsequent sessions explored the detailed atmospheric chemistry responsible for secondary pollutant formation. Dr Lisa Whalley (Leeds University) showed results indicating the presence of a process, missing from the modelling information, that is able to sustain peroxy radical levels under polluted (high NO) conditions, with implications of greater ozone formation. Dr Alex Archibald (Cambridge University) then went on to show that nitrate radical abundance was expected to increase in the future, and may begin to dominate oxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds.
The meeting opened with Tim Wallington (Ford Motor Company) setting out progress and challenges in reducing emissions from vehicles. Tim outlined the advances made through use of catalytic converter technologies within petrol vehicles, and diesel particulate filtration. The discussion focussed upon impacts of the anticipated trend towards Electric Vehicles (EVs), with reduced at-tailpipe exhaust emissions, but potential for different brake, tyre and road surface contributions (reflecting regeneration and greater weight).
Subsequent sessions explored the detailed atmospheric chemistry responsible for secondary pollutant formation. Dr Lisa Whalley (Leeds University) showed results indicating the presence of a process, missing from the modelling information, that is able to sustain peroxy radical levels under polluted (high NO) conditions, with implications of greater ozone formation. Dr Alex Archibald (Cambridge University) then went on to show that nitrate radical abundance was expected to increase in the future, and may begin to dominate oxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds.
Subsequent sessions revisited vehicle emissions, looking at NO2 levels in Wuppertal, direct HONO emissions from vehicles, and the effect of vehicle emissions on within-car levels of nitrogen dioxide, together with the significant reduction in personal exposure that could be achieved using activated charcoal impregnated vehicle pollen filters (Professor Ulrich Platt, Heidelberg University).
The first day closed with a series of talks looking at biogenic VOC emissions, and their response to recent heatwaves across Europe (with a case study of the Landes forest around Bordeaux). The final session of the day discussed the proposed ACROSS field campaign, slated to take place around Paris in summer 2022, and exploring interactions of natural (biogenic) and anthropogenic chemical emissions – anyone interested is invited to contact Professor Chris Cantrell ([email protected]) for more information.
Day two of the meeting opened with talks looking at recent laboratory studies, ranging from self-assembly in atmospheric aerosols (Adam Milsom, Birmingham University), to the ability of metal-ligand complexes to moderate particulate matter cytotoxicity (Chiaria Giorio, Padova University), and details of the potential aqueous phase oxidation of isoprene epoxides (Tobias Otto, Tropos Leipzig).
The scientific sessions were complemented by a visit to the Birmingham Air Quality Supersite, a highly instrumented urban air observatory established on the campus, and the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR) Free-Air Carbon Enrichment (FACE) facility, a large-scale 10-year experiment to assess the response of a mature English oak forest to carbon dioxide levels anticipated in the second half of the 21st century. The FACE facility comprises three treatment rings 30m in diameter, within which carbon dioxide levels are maintained 100 ppm above present day levels through a complex dynamic injection system, allowing the ecosystem response to be compared with that observed in adjacent control and dummy rings. (www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/bifor/index.aspx).
The participants look forward to next autumn’s meeting, to be held in Germany.
The support of sponsors is gratefully acknowledged: the Royal Society of Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry Group; Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) WM-Air; and the European Solvents Industry Group.
Day two of the meeting opened with talks looking at recent laboratory studies, ranging from self-assembly in atmospheric aerosols (Adam Milsom, Birmingham University), to the ability of metal-ligand complexes to moderate particulate matter cytotoxicity (Chiaria Giorio, Padova University), and details of the potential aqueous phase oxidation of isoprene epoxides (Tobias Otto, Tropos Leipzig).
The scientific sessions were complemented by a visit to the Birmingham Air Quality Supersite, a highly instrumented urban air observatory established on the campus, and the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR) Free-Air Carbon Enrichment (FACE) facility, a large-scale 10-year experiment to assess the response of a mature English oak forest to carbon dioxide levels anticipated in the second half of the 21st century. The FACE facility comprises three treatment rings 30m in diameter, within which carbon dioxide levels are maintained 100 ppm above present day levels through a complex dynamic injection system, allowing the ecosystem response to be compared with that observed in adjacent control and dummy rings. (www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/bifor/index.aspx).
The participants look forward to next autumn’s meeting, to be held in Germany.
The support of sponsors is gratefully acknowledged: the Royal Society of Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry Group; Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) WM-Air; and the European Solvents Industry Group.
