SOCAAR Seminar Dec. 5, 2012–Air pollution from traffic can trigger or worsen diseases like asthma and chronic rejection following lung transplantation which usually manifest as bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome. Common problems to both diseases are airflow obstruction and airway scarring, likely caused by airway inflammation and abnormal tissue repair from pollution exposure. Continue reading
Author Archives: chan
Improved air pollution monitoring techniques may lead to sustainable development
Much science, policy, and practice in the air-pollution community revolves around human health. However, if we look to University of Waterloo Environment and Resource Studies Professor Robert Gibson’s principles of sustainable development, we can see that focusing almost exclusively on health leaves many dimensions of sustainable development under serviced.
Our latest paper, published online on Oct. 3, 2012 in the Science of the Total Environment, discusses how new technologies are making air pollution monitoring a more effective tool in assessing the sustainability of development. Continue reading
The Evans Research Group runs to raise money for the Salvation Army
Members of the Evans Research Group and their families braved the chilly weather on Saturday to participate in this year’s Santa Shuffle, an event raising money for the Salvation Army. The group had a great time walking and running through Wilket Creek and Sunnybrook Park in Toronto–raising $875 for the Salvation Army!
Here’s a video of the group warming up before the big race:
Santa Shuffle 2012
Calling all citizen scientists: participate in an air quality monitoring study
The Southern Ontario Centre for Atmospheric Aerosol Research in the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry is looking for volunteers in Toronto to take part in an air quality monitoring study. Continue reading
Job opening: SOCAAR is seeking a research technician for the SCUPLT study
The Southern Ontario Centre for Atmospheric Aerosol Research (SOCAAR) is seeking a Research Technician for the Spatial Characterization of Ultrafine Particles in Toronto (SCULPT) study, to assist with the deployment of air quality monitors in communities across Toronto. This would be a 9 month appointment for 37.5 hours/week at a rate of $12.45/hour + 4% vacation pay.
Evans Research Group presents at AAAR 2012 Conference
The Evans Research Group attended the American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) 31st Annual Conference on October 8-12 in Minneapolis, USA. Congratulations to Josephine Cooper on winning the student poster competition at the conference! Continue reading
Rob McWhinney delivers 2nd SOCAAR seminar
Particulate matter (PM) is a toxic component of air pollution that has been linked to asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Current environmental regulations limit the concentration of PM allowed in the air. But such regulations treat all PM to be created equally and is problematic because PM is chemically complex in reality. PM contains a variety of chemicals from organic compounds to transition metals. Furthermore, the composition of PM changes over time as particles age in the atmosphere. Continue reading
Dr. Robert Healy kicks off the new SOCAAR seminar series
Aerosol particles are in the air all around us. In fact, you will inhale 5 to 20 million particles in your next breath.
Dr. Robert Healy, a Marie-Curie Research Fellow at the University of Toronto, delivered SOCAAR’s inaugural seminar on October 3rd. He discussed how an Aerosol Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (ATOFMS) can be used to answer two important questions about aerosol particles: Where do these particles come from? What is their chemical composition?