Search: Civil and Environmental Engineering, Air quality

Professor Nazaroff's research group aims to understand the physical and chemical processes that govern air pollutant concentrations and fates. The goal is to develop the information needed to assess and control human health effects from air pollutant exposures. Nazaroff's research is conducted through laboratory-scale experiments plus numerical and analytical modeling. The following topics are being addressed: (a) interactions between pollutants and surface materials; (b) air movement and pollutant dispersion in indoor environments; and (c) characterization and control of air pollutant exposures. Dr. Nazaroff's students work closely with research staff of the Indoor Environment Department at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Professor Nazaroff's research group aims to understand the physical and chemical processes that govern air pollutant concentrations and fates. The goal is to develop the information needed to assess and control human health effects from air pollutant exposures. Nazaroff's research is conducted through laboratory-scale experiments plus numerical and analytical modeling. The following topics are being addressed: (a) interactions between pollutants and surface materials; (b) air movement and pollutant dispersion in indoor environments; and (c) characterization and control of air pollutant exposures. Dr. Nazaroff's students work closely with research staff of the Indoor Environment Department at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Professor Harley studies the sources, atmospheric transport, and photochemical reactions associated with air pollution. Mathematical modeling, laboratory, and field experiments are used to understand and control air pollution problems. The role of mobile sources (especially gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles) in these problems is of special interest. One of his on-going projects, titled “Motor Vehicle Emission Trends and Reformulated Fuels” is a multi-year field study of vehicle emissions has been conducted at a highway tunnel near the Berkeley campus. He conducts research into the effects of switching from MTBE to alcohols such as ethanol, or to highly branched alkanes such as 2,2,4-trimethylpentane. He also works on urban and regional-scale photochemical air quality models that have been developed to relate emissions of volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides to photochemical formation of ozone and other air pollutants. Such models are used to determine the amount of emission reductions needed to meet air quality objectives.