The Atmospheric Chemistry Research Group (ACRG) within the School of Chemistry are pioneers in the use of perfluorocarbon (PFC) tracers to measure airflow in urban and rural conditions. Measurements with tracers have shown that pollutant transport can be affected by traffic movement, and that pollutant transport into buildings is highly variable.
The ACRG propose to improve the knowledge of pollutant dynamics in the city by using sensor arrays measuring NO, NO2, CO, O3 and PM concentrations connected to the Bristol is Open (BiO) network alongside trace gas campaigns and targeted experiments with higher specification aerosol measurement equipment.
The trial proposed will acquire three electrochemical and particle sensors which we hope to connect to the BiO network and use to collect data to inform future experiments. A number of trials with the devices will be undertaken in early 2016, including long term roadside measurements, an investigation of pollutant influx into buildings, and the comparison of these devices to existing ACRG particle and gas measurements.
This work will first work as a pump primer to investigate how gas and PM measurements within the city can be incorporated into BiO.
This research is being carried out by Dr James Matthews in the School of Chemistry.