List of Abstracts APU, Caroline Kirby CAROLYN KIRBY Research Assistant (2 years into a postgraduate studentship) Department of Geography, Anglia Polytechnic University, East Road, Cambridge CB1 1PT. Tel 01223-234629 (or 01223-363271 Ext2174 and leave a message) Email kkirby@bridge.anglia.ac.uk Research project: Development of statistical models to describe and predict air quality within Cambridge for a range of traffic and weather conditions. Study based on empirical data including:- 1. Nitrogen dioxide diffusion tube survey over two years of 50-100 roadside and background sites across Cambridge and beyond. Sites selected on a geographical basis according to function with urban network. Features multiple sites within urban canyons to examine effects of street geometry on NO2 levels. I now have 50 consecutive sets of spatial data for the survey area. 2. Concurrent continuous automated pollution data for two sites including NOX-NO2-NO, CO, O3 (PM10 for one). 3. Automatic weather and traffic data (vehicle count, speed and type) at one site. 4. Some short-term ozone and benzene diffusion tube data from local councils. 5. Some short-term traffic flow data for other sites. I am working on spatial and temporal variations to determine patterns and inter-relationships between measured parameters. Use of GIS imminent. Interested in hearing from anyone doing anything remotely similar to exchange ideas, progress, etc. CERC, Alaric Lester, ** UPDATED (97) email: Alaric.Lester@cerc.co.uk Most recently at Cambridge Council Was working at LB Southwark, and my area of research is the application of models to local air quality assessments. CALINE4 modelling with varying emission factors (based on Old Kent Road traffic data, with knowledge of speeds and vehicle types); how best local authorities should approach air quality assessments using models; varying emission factors from road vehicles. October 1996 - July 1997. (Cambridge City Council). Line-source model intercomparison and testing on behalf of DoE, using ADMS Urban, AEOLIUS, AEOLIUSF, CALINE4, CAL3QHC, CAR International, DMRB. I'm evaluating the models' suitability for use in Air Quality Assessments, comparison with measurements, input data requirements, NAQS review etc. DIRCON, Maureen Peart. ** NEW (97) 0171 516 5583 Ecole IFP, Estelle Jourdain ** NEW (97) Centre Economie et Gestion Ecole du Petrole et des Moteurs Institut Francais du Petrole 232 avenue Napoleon Bonaparte 92500 Rueil-Malmaison Paris France Tel: 00 33 1 47 52 6000 post 8974 Email: ejourdai@enspm.ifp.fr Urban traffic is a big and increasing cause of the air pollution, worsened by traffic jams and high density population. Exposure to ambient levels of NOx, SO2, particles and ozone are known to cause damage to human health in terms of acute or chronic morbidity and mortality. Our study, carried out in collaboration with the IFP'School (French Institute of Petroleum ) and the French Environmental Agency (Ademe), intends to assess the external costs of the air pollution from motor vehicles. "External costs" or "externalities" refers to the costs imposed on society by car users and not fully borne by them, i.e., these costs are not included in the market price (e.g., in fuel or car prices). Our assessment methodology is the multi-disciplinary approach called "Impact Pathways". This approach includes four main steps : the exhaust gas emission, the pollutant dispersion, the physical damage and their economic evaluation. Its implementation requires detailed information on car technology and emission factors, dispersion models, measurements of exposure, exposed populations and epidemiological dose-response functions. The target of this study is: i) to apply the Impact Pathways methodology in Paris area; ii) to identify the external cost for different types of vehicles (gasoline with three way catalyst or not, diesel) as well as for different distances covered by vehicles (in city area, suburb area, regional). Such results would give relevant information in order to design suitable environmental policies which could distinguish the responsibility among the different types of car users. ERM, Michaela Kendall ,**Ex Middlesex Energy Research Thingy London United Kingdom Telephone Number: 0171 465 7210 Email Address: MK@ermuk.com Airborne Carbonaceous Particles in London Keywords: Particulate air pollution, organic carbon, elemental carbon, deposition. Introduction The aim of this research is to describe the size of particulate air pollution in London and it’s organic and elemental carbon components, and to compare this with identical analysis carried out in two other European cities. Size and carbon content are both important factors in determining the chemical and adhesive properties of particles. Such detailed charactersation will lead to a greater understanding of the damage mechanisms affecting our cities and health. Characterising Airborne Carbonaceous Particles Two projects have been pursued: The first involved the detailed elemental and morphological analysis of particles (PM5) collected by cyclists in central London and commuters using London Underground. Forty samples were analysed in total; 33 Nucleopore filters for size distribution and elemental analysis (excluding carbon and other elements below atomic number 11) and 7 Anodisc filters for size distribution and elemental analysis of all elements. Seven mass concentration determinations were also made. Analysis was carried out using an automated scanning electron microscopy system with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). 30,000 particles were analysed for the size distribution and elemental composition excluding carbon, and 4,000 particles were analysed for elemental composition including carbon. 90% of the cyclists’ particles were found to be carbon rich particles (>40 % carbon). A peak number concentration occurred at 0.1-0.2 µm for these particles, with few particles above 1µm. In contrast, significantly lower peak number concentrations in the London Underground samples occurred at 1-1.5 µm. Underground mass concentrations were found to be as high as 1 mg/m3, with particle composition dominated by iron and silica. The second ongoing project is looking at the carbon content of the London aerosol. Total suspended particulate (TSP) samples collected at two sites in London have been analysed qualitatively for hydrocarbon speciation and quantitatively for polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkanes, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS). Total organic carbon and elemental carbon concentrations have also been established. Deposited particulate material collected from St. Paul’s Cathedral - trapped in gypsum encrustations at the building surface - has also been analysed for organic and elemental carbon content. The size distribution of airborne particles below 10 µm has been established using a cascade impactor This project is a collaboration between Middlesex (UK), Vienna (Austria) and Aveiro (Portugal) Universities, Imperial College (UK) and the Building Research Establishment (BRE). Comparative sampling is being carried out in the cities of Vienna and Oporto. Acknowledgments The personal exposure study was carried out by Bernd Sitzmann and 30 cyclists, and supervised by myself, John Watt, Paul Kershaw and Ian Williams. This work has been funded by the EC Environment Programme Contract No. EV5V-CT94-519. FoE, Max Wallis ** NEW (97) Email: maxw@foe.co.uk Friends of the Earth Danger Dust in Wales. We have sampled various urban, industrial and rural locations in Wales using a portable 'Grimm' laser . Fine (PM2.5) particulate levels were found more stable than PM10 which contains coarser dust particles, the former being less disturbed by wind and traffic changes. Urban centres, especially Cardiff, and certain industrial locations were found to suffer from particularly high levels of particulates. Coastal locations did not reveal enhancement from possible sea salt particles; rather places like Holyhead, Shotton (Deeside) and Rhoose (South Wales) showed low levels particularly of PM2.5, under on-shore breezes. The ratios of PM2.5 to PM10 were generally between 20 and 30%, with abnormal values from industrial particulates (both high - 50% in Cynon - and low - 17% in Port Talbot). Comparison with the higher ratios generally found in large urban areas (Birmingham - QUARG report) indicates that finer traffic particulates stick together or deposit on surfaces less rapidly than the coarse fraction of PM10, so they tend to build up in larger urban areas or still conditions. PM2.5's low variations with traffic and low levels in coastal towns agree with a longer lifetime for the finer particles down to about 1 micrometre sizes. Results in Cardiff were compared with data from the DoE's national network monitor poorly sited in an alley. The Grimm monitor found PM10 readings in the open street only 20 metres from the DoE monitor were about 30% higher, though under a rather stiff breeze. Levels near the traffic were a little higher again, about 35% in total. The DoE monitor in Swansea is also poorly sited; scrutiny of the data shows that its exceedances of the 24-hour average PM10 standard are due to very high isolated readings, due to temporary local sources. We argue that the new PM10 standard of 50mg/m3 is too lax and urge Councils to not rely on PM10 alone in their air quality assessments; agreeing with QUARG, PM2.5 is more stable and a better measure of the hazardous respirable particulates. Surveys of local industrial sources will be necessary, including during out-of-office hours. FoE, Mick O'Connell Friends of the Earth 26-28 Underwood St London N1 7 JQ Tel: 0171 490 1555 x 1304 Fax : 490 0881 e-Mail: mickoc@foe.co.uk -formerly contracted as a Research Officer for the Atmosphere and Transport Campaign at Friends of the Earth. The research is/was not "primary" or original but mainly a question of collation and selection for ( potential) campaign purposes. ( I am not a scientist myself.) Currently doing something similar for FOE in a voluntary capacity. Main interests include: air quality monitoring, especially ozone, NO2, particulates, VOCs - particularly equipment: what's new , good and cheap(ish) either real-time or not. Also tracking DOE data from its sites. - personal exposure: monitoring starting to develop knowledge techniques, protocols, drawbacks etc.. - health effects air pollutants, keeping track of medical/epidemiological developments. - atmospheric science - includes sources and distribution of pollutants especially e.g. PM10/PM 2.5 - air quality management, - including episode alleviation and information dissemination Equipment and data Sorry! Nothing to offer on equipment I'm afraid as we don't own anything except diffusion tubes. No current data - Any data is from the occasional past very short term monitoring exercise (e.g. comparing PM10 at roadside and background sites) or from past ongoing London NO2 diffusion monitors. I'd be happy to share this . HalFox, Paul Taylor Halcrow Fox Vineyard House 44 Brook Green Hammersmith London W6 7BY telephone: 0171 603 1618 facsimile: 0171 603 5783 email: paul.taylor@halfox.com I am a Senior Consultant with a responsibility for traffic and planning related air pollution assessment. I work for a variety of clients including central and local government, as well as private clients (usually developers), including motor vehicle manufacturers. I have conducted all stages of air quality assessment, including monitoring, modelling, presentation of EIA and preparation and presentation of Proof of Evidence on air quality for public inquiry. Some of you may know of the Bath Public Inquiry (Safeway Superstore) which was based solely on air quality issues pertaining to a World Heritage Site. One of my main areas of work is providing independent auditing services for air quality assessments. I also do a lot of work for clients evaluating available software models for particular applications. I have developed a number of in-house emission and dispersion models, including the UROPOL model (for CONTRAM) and SINGLEV. UROPOL is a microscopic model for the prediction and management of traffic related air pollution from urban road networks, based on the characteristics of interrupted flow and junction control. SINGLEV is a similar model for tracking a single vehicle through the network to investigate the emissions profile of a chosen strategy. I sit on the UK Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling Users Group Working Party 3: roadside atmospheric dispersion models, (along with Bernard Fisher and Alaric Lester who are also part this the UK Air Pollution Research Forum). At present much of my time is taken up with the assessment of air quality impacts of complex situations such as the implementation of traffic management or ATT technologies. Recent projects pertinent to this proposal include the East Thames Appraisal Framework (Air Quality methodology) for Government Office London, and the use of probabilistic forecasting methods on DMRB Volume 11 Air Quality estimates for the Highways Agency. The main current project is EFFECT, a 4th Framework Programme project. EFFECT is the Environmental Forecasting For the Effective Control of Traffic. The aim is to predict poor local air quality (hotspots) and then to select one or more traffic control strategies from a pre-defined library to reduce pollution levels in particular problem areas. The EFFECT Architecture is based on an Air Quality Monitoring and Management (AQM&M) system. I have published around 10 papers relating to air quality in traffic. In education I produced theses on the relationship between objective measurement and subjective response to air pollution, and on the climatology of environmental disaster scenario modelling. Air Quality Models used/evaluated include UROPOL, AIRVIRO, CAL3QHC, CAR, DMRB, PANAIR, PART5, PANACHE, and of course APPPS. Air Quality Monitoring has included NO2, CO, BTEX, SO2, Lead using a range of equipment types from dosimeters and diffusion tubes to Continuous Monitoring Stations and Roadside Pollution Monitors. Monitoring has occurred in various UK sites, Sweden, Greece and China to date. IC, Alvin Lai **UPDATED (97) Built Environment Centre for Analytical Research in the Environment Imperial College at Silwood Park SL5 7TE email: l.keung@ic.ac.uk Building occupants are exposed to a range of aerosol contaminants, manyof outdoor origin. Mechanical ventilation is often the only effective means of achieving adequate indoor air quality in urban areas. Significant energy costs may be associated with the pressure drop ariding from the use of membrane filtration. An alternative strategy might be the enhancment of aerosol deposition rates along the length of the duct itself, by strategic positioning of surface elements with a roughened nature. In this work, monodisperse tracer aerosol particles, in the range 0.7 to 7.1 micrometre, were used to study deposition enhancement in a ventilation duct roughened by 2D and 3D surfaces, under turbulent flow conditions. An experimental system has been designed and built so that in a turbulent airstream characteristic of a typical air conditioning duct, the rate of particle deposition to roughened duct surfaces can be studied. By using aerosol labelled with neutron activatable tracers, which can be detected with a very high sensitivity, deposition fluxes to the actual duct surface can be measured and this information can be used to complement aerosol concentration depletion data. Several monodisperse tracer aerosol distributions, in both the sub-and super-micrometre size range, are available. The possibility of detecting deposited particles allows the study of the relative effectiveness, as aerosol deposition enhancers, of various arrays of roughness elements with different element configuration. Equipment currently in use consists of: (1) 6 metre long, 150 mm squared ventilation duct with a fan and a variable speed controller connected (2) roughness elements; 2D rib type and 3D pseudo elements (3) aerosol generator for super-micrometre and nebuliser for sub-micrometre aerosol particles (4) sampling tube with suction pump and flow meter IC, Athena Scaperdas **NEW (97) PhD candidate Air Pollution Group Centre for Environmental Technology (ICCET) Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine 48 Prince's Gardens, London SW7 2PE Tel: +44 171 589 5111 ext. 59284, Fax: +44 171 581 0245 email:a.scaperdas@ic.ac.uk Internet: http://www.et.ic.ac.uk/apg 'CFD modelling for assessing the representativeness of monitoring data in urban areas' ABSTRACT The interaction of the wind with the variety of street and building configurations in a city can lead to a significant variation of pollutant concentration at a small scale. As a result, the representativeness of air quality measurements made at different urban monitoring sites can be strongly affected by the localised flow patterns associated with the street-building geometry surrounding the monitor. The presentation will focus on the results of a research project carried out at ICCET in collaboration with the London Air Quality Network. The aim is to appraise the significance of air quality measurements from monitoring sites in London, based on a computational simulation of the small-scale flow and dispersion patterns around real urban building configurations. The main focus of the work has been so far in evaluating routine CO monitoring data collected by Westminster City Council at an intersection of street canyons at Marylebone Rd-Gloucester Place, London W1. Street canyons (street flanked with buildings on both sides) are a common feature in cities and have been studied extensively, mainly with wind tunnel and field experiments. Nevertheless, very limited information exists in the literature on the flow and dispersion patterns associated with intersections of street canyons. Also, many monitors in the UK are purposely situated at urban canyon intersections, which are thought to be local hot spots of pollutant emissions due to traffic idling. The complex, three-dimensional flow patterns and pollution dispersion associated with the intersection at Marylebone Rd-Gloucester Place were calculated using STAR-CD, a general application Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code. With the help of the CFD simulations, and together with a thorough analysis of available monitoring data, it was possible to gain insights into the effect of wind direction on the small-scale dispersion patterns at the chosen intersection, and how that can influence the data captured by the monitor. It was found that a change in wind direction could result in a potentially misleading increase or decrease of monitored CO concentration of up to 80%, for a given amount of traffic emissions and meteorological conditions. Understanding and de-coupling the local effects of wind direction from monitoring data using the methods used in this work could prove a useful new tool for urban monitoring data interpretation. IC, Daniela Vollmair ** UPDATED (97) Centre for Analytical Research in the Environment (CARE) Imperial College at Silwood Park, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berks. SL5 7TE Tel.: (01344) 294305 e-mail: daniela.vollmair@dial.pipex.com I am a Ph.D. student in the Built Environment group at Imperial College and I am working under an EU contract, studying the deposition of aerosol particles on the human body. The main aspects of the project are: sampling, retention and clearance issues of aerosols for skin, clothing and hair, and the characterisation of aerosol deposition mechanisms. Currently, I am concentrating on studying the penetration of aerosols into skin pores and hair follicles; this work is done in association with the Department of Pharmacology at St Mary's Hospital Medical School. There they have been studying the absorption on chemicals into the skin for many years and are pioneering a new way of studying absorption using an in-vitro flow-through diffusion cell system. Other equipment currently in use includes an aerosol chamber, a Palas powder dispersion generator, a light microscope and a fluorescent microscope. The human skin forms a natural barrier between the internal body systems and the external environment and is a major route of exposure to occupational chemicals and aerosols. This study investigated the penetration of aerosols into skin by exposing hairless rat skin to fluorescent silica particles (1, 5 & 10 micron diameter) in an aerosol chamber. The experiment was stopped at different time points (30 minutes and 5 hours) to study the relationship between penetration depth and exposure time. Following exposure the skin was sectioned and visualised using a fluorescent microscope. Additionally, this study examined dermal exposure assessment techniques and tested wiping, waxing and washing as sampling and decontamination methods with respect to collection efficiency, quantitative recovery and repeatability. To do this rat skin was exposed to neutron-activatable tracer-labeled silica particles and then wiped, waxed or washed. The skin, wipes and wax were then analysed for the tracer using Neutron Activation Analysis. Following the exposure of skin samples to fluorescent aerosol particles, it was observed that particle size was an important factor governing the rate of penetration into hair follicles. In addition, the time for which the particles remained on the skin surface was found to be significant. In terms of sampling strategies for particles on skin, it was found that wiping showed the highest removal efficiencies. Waxing had equally high removal efficiencies, but the results were less consistent. Washing was found to be an inefficient sampling method. IC, Heidi Cheung Imperial College Centre for Environmental Technology. 2nd yr PhD student Centre for Environmental Technology Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine 48 Prince's Gardens London, SW7 2PE United Kingdom Tel: +44 171 594 9293 Fax: +44 171 581 0245 email: h.h.cheung@ic.ac.uk IC, Jason Bowsher ** NEW (97) email: j.bowsher@ic.ac.uk The size dependent probability of deposition of inspired particulate matter has been studied for the entire respiratory tract and more specifically the pulmonary alveoli region of the lung by Muir (1972). The importance of size dependency as a factor controlling deposition in the respiratory tract and thus health risk has been illustrated for mouth breathing at rest, but, it is noted that the deposition probability curve is significantly affected by respiratory patterns. Also It has been known for some time that atmospheric particulate matter is subject to brownian, laminar shear and turbulant flow coagulation mechanisms, thus the size spectra of atmospheric particles may undergo evolution with time. In view of the above discussion this is important in respect of human health. However, the number of studies that have investigated the human health implications of the size spectra evolution and road traffic emission are limited at best. At imperial I am trying to develop a dispersion model that will track size spectra evolution as well as dispersion. The aim is to be able to map particulate concentrations as perhaps a risk index. The mapped data can then be used by others to re assess epidemiological study results and to assess the effect of air quality management initiatives. IC, Jo O'Keeffe Centre for Environmental Technology Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine 48 Prince's Gardens London, SW7 2PE United Kingdom Tel: +44 171 594 9293 Fax: +44 171 581 0245 email: j.okeeffe@ic.ac.uk IC, John Watt j.watt@ic.ac.uk IC, Jon Hill Air Pollution Group Centre for Environmental Technology Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine 48 Prince's Gardens London, SW7 2PE United Kingdom Tel: +44 171 594 9293 Fax: +44 171 581 0245 email: j.h.hill@ic.ac.uk I am part of a multi-partner project funded by MAFF involved in research into the emission, dispersion, deposition and effects of ammonia emitted from agricultural sources. At ICCET our responsibility is the modelling of dispersion and deposition of ammonia from both fields and agricultural buildings. Our strategy has been to use two modelling approaches. Firstly a K-theory langrangian model which follows a column of air was created. A grid of 100 x 100 m squares is used to supply emissions and land-use data from which the diffusivity of ammonia through the column is calculated. Comparison with experimental data, over both the short term of a few hours using a slurry strip and yearly averaged data over a farm containing many large poultry units has shown that the model performs well. Secondly STAR-CD, a computational fluid dynamics code is presently being applied to model the dispersion and deposition from a group of buildings. This modelling approach allows transient effects such as fluctuating wind speed and direction and re-emission of ammonia to be included. The effects of an area of woodland upon the air flow will be included at a later date. IC, Ken Bell, Imperial College Centre for Analytical Research in the Environment Silwood Park Ascot e-mail (k.bell@ic.ac.uk) I am researching into the deposition of atmospheric dust onto human skin, hair and clothing and the persistence of the contamination. The information is required by modellers working on the likely consequences of nuclear accidents like Chernobyl. Using test chambers we can contaminate a volunteer's skin with low levels of dust and by wipe sampling we can measure the magnitude of the contamination. I am developing a fluorescent scanning system as an alternative method of assessing the contamination directly. I am finding very much higher deposition to the skin than to any other surface and in an attempt to explain this phenomenon I am measuring the convective air velocities around the body. IC, Miriam Byrne ** UPDATED (97) Dr. Miriam Byrne Built Environment Group Imperial College Centre for Environmental Technology Royal School of Mines Building Prince Consort Road London SW7 2BP ph +44 171 594 9321 fx +44 171 594 6540 m.byrne@ic.ac.uk http://www.et.ic.ac.uk/beg/ I am Manager of the Built Environment Group in the Imperial College Centre for Environmental Technology. Our work focuses on experimental research on the behaviour of tracer aerosol particles in the indoor environment. The two major research topics are (a) health risk assessment and (b) building design technology. Over the past decade, health aspects of indoor aerosols have been addressed in collaboration with the Risoe National Laboratory, Denmark. In a variety of building and test chamber types, we have measured the deposition rates of tracer labelled aerosol particles (in a range of size distributions) on indoor surfaces. The data are applied to health risk assessment; airborne particle concentrations, and consequently, inhalation exposures, are modified by the deposition process. In addition, deposited particles may also have a health impact while residing on indoor surfaces, notably in the case of high energy radioactive particles which arise from accidents such as Chernobyl and leak into buildings. Also in the context of radiological risk assessment, but also with application to occupational exposure, we have been measuring aerosol deposition rates on skin, hair, and clothing (using human volunteers) for the past few years. Recent work has also focused on the penetration of aerosols into skin pores and hair follicles. In the building design context, we are exploiting the fact that aerosol particles actually do deposit on surfaces and are applying this to the design of low energy air cleaning systems. Current work compares the particle collection efficiency of a specially constructed rough surface with that of a membrane filter. IC, Rob Kinnersley Centre for Analytical Research in the Environment (CARE) Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine Silwood Park Ascot Berkshire SL5 7TE r.kinnersley@ic.ac.uk Research Fellow in the Environmental Processes and Pathways Group at CARE. Much of the Group's work has, historically, been concerned with the movement of radionuclides from the atmosphere to the ground, and from the ground into the food-chain. Times being what they are (10 years since Chernobyl), we are now branching out into non-radioactive contaminants as well, including traffic generated pollution and organic soil contaminants. Facilities here include a recirculating wind tunnel (working section 6 x 1.6 x 0.8 metres) suitable for work with particulates and radioactive gases and supported by a hot-wire anemometry rig, a smaller wind tunnel (1.8 x 0.2 x 0.2 m) originally for resuspension studies, plant exposure chambers for gaseous air pollutants, lysimeters with controlled water-tables, and a rain simulator capable of producing contaminated rain of realistic drop size and intensity over a 4 square metre area. We have an aerosol lab with means of producing (condensation generators, dust-feeder, spray-drying rig) and characterising (Las-X and APS aerosol spectrometers, impactors) a range of labelled aerosols. One of our great strengths is elemental analysis, particularly by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (using an on-site 100kW nuclear reactor), which can go down to ppm or, for some elements, ppb, with minimal sample preparation. There's also ICP-MS and ICP-AES for those stubborn, difficult-to-activate elements, and Delayed Neutron Counting (DNC) for fissile isotopes (they make very, very sensitive tracers). My aim in life is to build up a complete picture of the interface between the atmosphere and the ground (Think Big, that's my motto!). My projects have included:- Drift spraying against Tsetse Flies / Airborne sampling of cloud water / Large-scale studies, on MAFF's behalf, of dry deposition of aerosols (from 0.1 micrometres diameter upwards) to crops in the wind tunnel, culminating in a predictive computer model for aerosol contamination / Modelling the time-course of field loss / Wet Deposition of Caesium to crop canopies / Wind-tunnel and CFD modelling of a stack emitting particles close to a cliff. And currently: - Parameters and sub-models for wet deposition of Various Contaminants (including particles) to crops (MAFF) / Dry deposition of ambient aerosols to orchard canopies (MAFF) / An exposure system to investigate the effect of diesel particulates on suffers of asthma and COPD (MRC). IOE, David Job **Left (97) Institute of Education University of London 20 Bedford Way London WC1H OAL Tel/Fax: 0171 612 6451 Has set up the Schools Network on Air Pollution SNAP including , over 20 schools in Engalnd and also in Eastern Europe, encouraging kids to get involved with pollution work, measuring pollution using cheap passive samplers for NO2 and SO2, and analysing the data. He helps to include this knowledge into the curriculum. KCL, Dorothee Richter MARC Monitoring and Assessment Research Centre King's College The Old Coach House Campden Hill London W8 7AD I'm working on a report for the European Environment Agency (EEA), called "Monograph on Urban Air Quality", which will be published in a series of monographs currently produced for the EEA, each covering another environmental topic. We're investigating everything related to air quality in European cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants (and unfortunately there are about 80 of those), including monitoring networks, management capabilities, topographic, societal and climatic aspects, recent air quality and trends.... The study is partly based on a questionnaire-survey, which will enable us to calculate indices expressing the monitoring and management capabilities of each city. The rest is mainly a literature review and summary. I ended up working here after an MSc at Imperial College in Environmental Engineering where my final project was "VOC-Exposure assessment of commuters on different modes of transportation". My first degree was civil engineering at the RWTH-Aachen, Germany. Kore. Frank Nuber ** NEW (97) Frank Nuber Kore Technology Ltd Tel. 44 (0) 1223 420840 Fax. 44 (0) 1223 426041 email: fn1@kore.co.uk I am doing now a Teaching Company Scheme (TCS) with the Atmospheric Science Research Group at University of Hertfordshire (Dr Ranjeet Sokhi) and Kore Technology in Cambridge. Kore has developed a fully portable mass spectrometer with a membrane inlet, which is highly suitable for ambient air monitoring. My job involves to investigate the applications for the instrument and to conduct field trials with it. LB Camden, Anna Rickard Camden Council arickard@camden.gov.uk Tel: 0171 413 6921 Fax: 0181 860 5594 Currently carrying out a study in the King's Cross area looking at the size fractionation of particulates using an 8 stage cascade impactor. The study compares concentrations at at busy road side site and an urban background location. In addition we have a dichotomous sampler co-located with a TEOM at Camden's kerbside monitoring station on the Finchley Road, in order to conduct comparisons between mass concentrations between the two samplers, and to obtain information on PM2.5 concentrations at kerbside locations. Some chemical speciation work is also due to be carried out on the dichot filters. LB Westminster, David Vowles Dept of Planning and the Environment Environmental Health Division Westminster Council House, Marylebone Rd, London NW1 5PT. david@wcceh.gov.uk Tel: 0171 798 1317 Fax 0171 798 1142 Pollution trends in Westminster/Central London and how this will be used to set up Air Quality Management Areas to improve air quality. LB Westminster, Stephen Neville Dept of Planning and the Environment Environmental Health Division Westminster Council House, Marylebone Rd, London NW1 5PT. david@wcceh.gov.uk Tel: 0171 798 1317 Fax 0171 798 1142 steve@wcceh.ftech.co.uk Leeds, Matthew Page Institute for Transport Studies University of Leeds LEEDS LS2 9JT Tel: 0113 233 5358 Fax: 0113 233 5334 MPAGE@its.leeds.ac.uk Just to keep you (and anyone else who might be interested) informed about what I am up to, the only project I am involved in of direct relevance to air pollution is 'Pollution reduction by avoidance of congestion' a small project funded by EPSRC. The idea here is to evaluate the pollution (emission) reduction benefits of an enhancement to an urban traffic control system by using a traffic micro simulation model. We will be using the AIMSUN micro simulation model developed by UPC in Barcelona, connected to the auto adaptive UTC system SCOOT which will in turn be connected to CLAIRE, an artificial intelligence based enhancement, which is meant to intervene in SCOOT. This set up is being developed as part of another project (SAVE - to evaluate fuel consumption improvements) and my bit is really to ensure that emission factors are incorporated into the micro simulation model and to analyse the results after the model runs have been completed. The big problem I have come across is tracking down emission factors for this purpose. What are (ideally) required are figures giving the amount (in grammes) of a particular pollutant (eg. CO, NOx, etc.) emitted on a second by second basis for different vehicle behaviours (idling, accelerating, decelerating or cruising) and for different vehicle types. We have found some figures, but they are not ideal. Apparently this sort of data is very difficult to collect. I am also hoping to get involved in research proposals in the area of traffic based air pollution, so I'm very interested in what is going on! LRC, Lucy Sadler **UPDATED (97) Lucy Sadler London Research Centre 81, Black Prince Road London SE1 7SZ direct line: 0171 787 5680 fax : 0171 787 5606 Lucy.Sadler@london-research.gov.uk The London Research Centre (LRC) is producing emissions inventories for 12 cities in the UK. Some cities are completed, others will follow throughout 1997. Emissions of 8 pollutants in the National Air Quality Strategy plus carbon dioxide and methane are published on a 1x1 km grid square. Data are also held at greater resolution in most cases - e.g. on a road network or at an industrial site. The emissions data are given to the local authority (LA) where they can be used to assist air quality management or as input data for atmospheric modelling. In London the South East Institute of Public Health (SEIPH) is undertaking modelling for the area inside the M25, and the data is also available to the LA. We are producing a database of emissions factors for the UK on behalf of the Department of Transport, Environment and the Regions, for use in emissions estimating. These will be published towards the end of 1997 on The Internet, CD-ROM and in hard copy. We run a helpline for local authorities to assist with emissions estimates for air quality management. My main research interest is pollutant emissions, their production, measurement and methods of reducing these emissions. My previous work has been research into vehicle emissions and the use and development of new air pollution gas analysers. LSU, David Bradley LSU College Southampton. email : 101445.1062@compuserve.com I am collecting data from 3 photoemission monitors set up around Southampton to measure particulate phase PAHs. The data is collated and reported to the local authorities who own the detectors. As far as I know these are the only such detectors used in the UK, there are at least another 20 sites Europe, N America, and the far East. The detectors are not a replacement for conventional monitoring, as they do not differentiate between different PAH compounds, but they do respond rapidly to changes (1 second records) and they are much, much easier to operate. The PAH photoemission monitors, that I use measure particulate phase PAHs & substituted PAHs. I'm interested to find out more about the metabolism of PAHs in the body, and the routes by which they cause cancer - particularly what the effects of short term -v- long term exposures are. PAH levels through the day vary by a factor of about 10, but there are occasional peaks which can be up to 100 times back ground levels. As there is more than one metabolic route I want to know if one route dominates at background levels, and another during peak exposures and if this affects the formation of carcinogenic metabolites. Middlesex, Amanda Wheeler Amanda Wheeler Urban Pollution Research Centre Middlesex University Bounds Green Road London N11 2NQ Tel: 0181 362 6374 Amanda1@mdx.ac.uk Middlesex, Helen Crabbe ** UPDATED (97) Was at Oxford Brookes now moved to Middlesex Helen Crabbe Research Fellow Urban Pollution Research Centre Middlesex University Bounds Green Road London N11 2NQ U.K. Tel:0181 362 6361 Fax:0181 361 1726 E mail:helen1@mdx.ac.uk I have just started a research project at Middlesex in air quality assessment in collaboration with the London Borough of Barnet, in respect to their Air Quality Management (AQM) requirements in the Environment Act, 1995. The main aim is to identify existing and future pollution hotspots in the Borough from a detailed emissions inventory. Various future scenarios will be modelled using ADMS Urban, with an overall view to develop the AQM strategies of the Borough through the possible identification of AQM Areas. Previously I worked at Oxford Brookes University conducting research into the development of AQM practices in the UK. This included undertaking a survey of local authorities in the UK in 1994, to assess their capabilites and plans in AQM including monitoring networks and public information schemes.This work lead on to identifying existing case studies where the impacts of implementing specific traffic management schemes were quantified on emissions and air quality. In particular, studies were highlighted where before-and-after continuous air quality monitoring was undertaken. In-depth studies included air quality impacts of the transport corridor improvements (including the provision of bus lanes and traffic calming measures) in Kingston Upon Hull, and the impact of the 'Ring of Steel' traffic management zone in the City of London. I am using these examples to complete my ongoing PhD studies into 'Air Quality Management: traffic management as an emission reduction tool.' Middlesex, Peter Kunzli, Urban Pollution Research Centre Middlesex University Bounds Green Road London N11 2NQ 0181 362 5000 ext 7516 PETER64@mdx.ac.uk A comparison of two dispersion models with data from a North London site. Abstract follows for a paper submitted to: 3rd International Symposium, Traffic Induced Air Pollution - Emissions, Impact and Air Quality. by KŸnzli P. A., Williams I. D., Hamilton R. S. A study is presented which compares two models that predict carbon monoxide concentrations near roads. The models used were the UK Department of Transport model, known as PREDCO (TRRL 1983) and the State of California model, known as CALINE 4 (Benson 1984). Data was obtained from a 1992 study of air pollution levels at an urban site, at Wood Green in North London (Williams 1995). The site was adjacent to the A105, a main highway between north and central London. This road has a daily mean traffic flow of 26,500 vehicles. The vehicle mix contains a relatively high proportion, (15%), of large diesel vehicles, mainly buses. An emission factor appropriate to 1992, of 20.31 g/km (32.68g/mile), was entered into the models. This factor was derived from a survey of traffic mix (Williams 1995) and emissions data by vehicle engine type (QUARG 1993) The predictions were compared with monitored data at the site. This showed that CALINE4 predicted levels that were closer to the monitored levels in absolute terms. The PREDCO predictions were more closely correlated to the monitored levels, but were very much higher in absolute terms. CALINE4 will not accept wind speeds below 0.5 m/s. The data was therefore compared again without wind speeds below 0.5 m/s. This would ascertain whether either model had a better correlation with the monitored levels of CO. The study shows that both models predict well at high wind speeds but when the wind speed drops they tend to over predict. Wind direction was also found to be a factor in some poor predictions. With wind directions of around 180( from North the models tended to over predict, therefore correlations were again performed on the data after these wind directions had been removed. The aim of tailoring the data in this way was to evaluate the models as closely as possible by removing any immediate physical factors that cause poor performance. References Benson P. E. 1984 CALINE4: A dispersion model for predicting air pollutant concentrations near roadways. Report No. FHWA/CA/TL-84/15, California Department of Transportation, Sacramento, USA. QUARG 1993 Diesel Vehicle Emissions and Urban Air Quality. Second report of the Quality of Urban Air Review Group, Department of the Environment, UK. TRRL 1983 Air Pollution Prediction Programs Suite (APPPS) User's Guide. Transport and Road Research Laboratory, Crowthorne, UK. Williams I. D. 1995 Public Attitudes to Air Pollution from Road Vehicles. Ph.D. Thesis, Urban Pollution Research Centre, Middlesex University, London, UK. MMU, Ivan Gee** EX-IC (97) Research Fellow, ARIC, Atmoshperic Research & Information Centre, Dept. Environmental & Geographical Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan Univeristy, Manchester, M1 5GD Tel: 0161 247 1592 Fax: 0161 247 6332 E-mail: i.l.gee@mmu.ac.uk Was doing :- Three main research areas relevant to air quality are studied at the Centre: 1. Monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particles in indoor and outdoor air in South American and Asian countries. The problems of developing countries are often very different from those of the industrialised world. Few studies have been conducted on air quality in South America and Asia and these have tended to focus on a few pollutants (CO, NOx, SOx, and particles). Levels of VOCs have not been investigated and almost no work has been conducted on indoor air. We have conducted monitoring in 5 South American cities (Sao Paulo, Santiago, Caracas, Bogota, and Quito) and three Asian cities (Manila, Bangkok and Jakarta). We are particularly interested in the interactions between indoor and outdoor air and the relative importance of indoor and outdoor VOC sources including vehicle emissions and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). We have established strong links in these countries and further collaborative research programmes are planned. 2. Personal monitoring of VOCs. We are currently putting together a programme to examine the influence of different modes of transport on individual exposure to VOCs. This involves pumped sampling of VOCs for groups of five or six individuals travelling to work by; car, train, tube, motor-cycle, bicycle, and by foot. Diffusive samplers are also placed in the individuals homes and offices to help put the transport data in context. 3. Influence of fuel composition on emissions of VOCs from vehicles. We have conducted a series of test on vehicles running using fuels of differing compositions. This has highlighted the problems of switching to unleaded fuel without using a catalytic converter as this leads to increased emissions of aromatic compounds such as benzene. The majority of our work focuses on VOC measurement using automated thermal desorption (ATD400) coupled to GC/MS. However we also have other GC and HPLC facilities for monitoring other compounds including aldehydes and PAHs. MMU, Sarah Lindley Atmospheric Research and Information Centre Dept. Env. & Geog. Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton Building, Chester Street, MANCHESTER M1 5GD Phone: 0161 247 1595 Fax: 0161 247 6332 Email: s.lindley@mmu.ac.uk WWW: http://www.doc.mmu.ac.uk/aric/phdsjl.html Development of a spatially disaggregated emissions inventory for the north west region of England and its role in local air quality management. Research: PhD project started in Sept. 1993 and due for completion at the end of 1996. Background: BA (Hons) in Geography from Hull University (1991), MSc in Geographical Information Systems from Edinburgh University (1993) Project Outline The objectives of this work are to estimate the magnitude and spatial distribution of atmospheric emissions from anthropogenic sources in the north west region of England in 1994. The work is intended to focus on pollutants considered to be important for urban air quality, including the oxides of nitrogen (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Particular attention is paid to sources in Greater Manchester and Merseyside although major sources in Cheshire and Lancashire are also considered. The source categories considered in the inventory are as follows: 1. Road Transport - traffic on motorways, primary routes 'A' class roads and 'B' roads. 2. Industry - Part A and Part B registered processes. 3. Rail Transport - passenger and freight traffic. 4. Other transport - from airports and shipping. 6. Miscellaneous others - apportioned through the use of surrogate statistics. In order to estimate emissions from each source, a series of repeatable and verifiable procedures have been developed and applied to data describing the level and location of polluting activity in the region. These methods can be used to assess a range of future emission scenarios and allow various control strategies to be tested within the context of local air quality management. The application of the methods to sources in the north west is made using a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) approach. Emission estimates are presented at two different grid resolutions. A coarser resolution grid of 5 x 5 km is used to provide the regional emissions context for air quality management. A finer resolution grid of 1 x 1 km, is then used to represent emissions over the largely urban/industrial zone of North Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester. MMU, Tony Hewison Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences Manchester Metropolitan University John Dalton Extension Building Chester Street Manchester M1 5GD Tel: 0161 247 1598 E: t.hewison@mmu.ac.uk Motorway Traffic Emission Estimation This research is designed to provide evidence for transport and air quality management planning. Air quality management and the effects of road transport emissions on air quality are major issues confrontingenvironmental policy makers. Knowledge of road transport emissions, the amounts, the contribution of different roads and vehicles and effects on air quality is short of that needed for fully informed, balanced and holistic decision making. Means to mitigate or prevent air quality problems will be most effective if they are targeted at the source of the problems which is emissions. Effective management of road transport related air quality problems will result from effective management of road transport emissions. This requires knowledge of emissions that is accurate and detailed as possible made easily available to those who can best use it - local level transport and air quality managers. The M.Phil research is designed to address these issues by investigating means to generate estimates of emissions of a suite of air pollutants from road traffic. The research is focused on emissions from motorways. Within road transport the share of emissions produced by motorways is unknown but, the volume of traffic that motorways support far outweighs traffic on other road types. Emission estimates are intended to indicate potential air quality problems i.e. whether emissions are sufficient to raise pollutant concentrations to or above air quality standards. However, this must be considered in spatial context. At large scales, estimates for road networks may indicate whether emissions are contributing to a general air quality problem. At small scales estimates of emissions from individual roads, junctions or small area networks may indicate whether emissions are contributing to localised air quality problems in the vicinity of the roads themselves. It is at these scales that GIS based emission information provision could become most useful. Further work for the PhD will investigate the validity of basing air quality related decisons on emission estimates. Obviously there is not a direct relationship between emissions and resulting concentrations because of other environmental factors such as meteorology but, it may be possible to localise the relationships that do exist to the point that high emissions may be associated with potential high concentrations in the vicinity. It is the intention of the PhD work to determine the validity of this concept using emissions estimates, concentration modelling and monitoring data. SEIPH, Andrew Deacon South East Institute of Public Health (SEIPH) Broomhill House David Salomon's Estate Broomhill Road Tunbridge Wells TN3 OXT Tel: 01892 515153 Fax: 01892 516344 E-mail: Adeacon@seiph.umds.ac.uk Present/Recent Work I recently moved to the SEIPH from the University of Birmingham where I had worked for the Quality of Urban Air Review Group for 3 years. My current work at SEIPH is concerned with reviewing and assessing air quality across the whole of London, in order to respond to the Department of the Environment National Strategy and Guidance on Assessing air quality on behalf of all 33 London Local Authorities. I am also involved in air quality forecasting on a day to day basis, and in some air quality and health research work. Research Interests I have several papers in preparation on the sources of airborne particulate matter, and am keen to continue this work. I am also interested in the design and operation of air quality monitoring networks,and the development of air quality management strategies. Additional Information The SEIPH holds a large quantity of air quality data for many pollutants collected from sites across London (since 1992). Current data is displayed on the website (http://www-seiph.umds.ac.uk), and an archive of bulletins is also available. Parts of the dataset could be made available for research projects. Free reports are still available from QUARG (Diesel Vehicle Emissions and Urban Air Quality and Airborne Particulate Matter in the United Kingdom). Write to: QUARG Secretariat Institute of Public and Environmental Health School of Chemistry The University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TT Stanger/TBV, Nigel Jenkins Nigel Jenkins Stanger Science and Environment (x- TBV, Rendel,...LSS) Lansdowne House Lansdowne Road Croydon Surrey CR0 2BX Tel: 0181-256 4858 Fax: 0181-256 4862 E mail: nigel@tbvsci.co.uk I'm a ex-Greenwich Uni. Msc. graduate (Air Quality Monitoring and Modelling with Dr Ranjeet Sokhi) which was sponsored by the London Borough of Southwark. The research involved ambient air quality monitoring/management and modelling using various available air quality models, such as CALINE4, DMRB and CAR, to simulate and validate air quality in an urban road corridor. I am presently employed by Stanger Science and Environment (Tarmac plc!) as an AIR Quality Consultant on the DoE UK AUN (Automatic Urban Network for the UK). I am a network manager which involves: - monitoring all the AQ staions (approx 40 at present) - pre-liminary data validation - collecting and storing all data received from all sites - managing and responding to problems - dessiminating all data onto Ceefax, Teletext and various Internet sites - site management (London Bloomsbury) Stanger S.E. also are involved in AQ monitoring, EIA's, modelling and other AQ fields. Data Source: We manage the AUN and down load data from all the DoE urban sites around the UK and therefore I have access to this (non-ratified) database. (requests for data should be through my e-mail only and I'll attempt to get info back to you, so long as it does not involve too much work, in a reasonable time.). Further to that we should have a site up on the internet by Dec'96 showing real-time data (15min valus) which will be interactive, so you can select specific sites around the UK Another useful address on the internet is AEA Tecnology's Air Quality Archive: http://www.aeat.co.uk/products/centres/netcen/airqual/welcome.html which has updated data from the DoE Urban and Rural Networks, which can be downloaded. UCL, Anson Mackay Dr Anson W. Mackay Environmental Change Research Centre, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London. WC1H 0AP. Tel: +44 171 380 7584 Fax: +44 171 380 7565 E-mail: amackay@geog.ucl.ac.uk http://www.geog.ucl.ac.uk/ecrc/ Seasonal Distribution of Atmospheric Particulates in Bloomsbury This presentation will include some preliminary results from Phase 1 of the JEI / ECRC project 'Chemistry and Distribution of atmospheric Particulates in London'. Data have been collected over four 7 day periods covering July 1996 - May 1997. Distinct temporal trends in the inorganic component are apparent on a variety of time-scales, e.g. diurnal, seasonal. Major pollution events stemming from power station plumes crossing London may also be identified. UCL, Ben Croxford **UPDATED (97) Bartlett School of Architecture (1-19 Torrington Place) University of College London Gower St London WC1E 6BT. Tel: 0171 380 7890 Fax 0171 916 1887 Email: b.croxford@ucl..ac.uk WWW: http://doric.bart.ucl.ac.uk/web/ben I'm still working on two projects looking at air pollution in offices and CO concentrations in dwellings. For both of these projects we are monitoring Carbon monoxide, both internally and externally, using the StreetBox monitors developed during the previous project. We are also using passive samplers for NO2 and SO2 (developed in Poland by Dr Dariusz Krochmal) to measure average levels of these pollutants over the monitoring period. The offices work is part of a larger study investigating aspects of Naturally Ventilated office buildings. The findings to date are that pollutant levels in naturally ventilated office buildings. Even those near major roads, are always below WHO guidelines and that concentrations of CO fall with distance from the main road both horizontal and vertical distance and that in certain cases NO2 levels are higher away from the main road than closer to it. The second project is called "CO concentrations and ventilation strategies in dwellings", my part in this project is improving the StreetBox monitor. We have recently employed Craig Milliken to replace Ian Ridley (now gone to Brazil).The main findings so far are that the ventilation strategy used by the occupant is less important than the time spent cooking in terms of their exposure to CO the variation in CO levels within houses of the same ventilation type is greater than found between different types of ventilation. I am involved with the manufacturing of the StreetBoxes by Grenson Services Limited. We are due to make our first shipment in the next week. UCL, Ian Ridley ** Now in Brazil Carbon Monoxide and Ventilation Stratagies in Dwellings. Selecting 50 houses from the social housing stock with one of 4 different ventilation strategies and monitoring these for 2 heating seasons to identify their relative effectiveness at removing indoor pollutants. Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, temperatures and humidity will be measured both inside and out, with dust mite levels and air change rates measured inside the house. UCL, Neil Rose Environmental Change Research Centre University College London 26 Bedford Way London WC1H 0AP Tel: 0171 387 7050 x5543 Fax: 0171 380 7565 e-mail: nrose@geog.ucl.ac.uk Research interests are principally on atmospheric particulates. PhD on source allocation of fly-ash particles using particle chemistry. More recently developing these techniques to apply to urban particulates. The ECRC use the Burkard Trap to produce a continuous and permanent, high resolution record of the urban aerosol. This record is suitable for light microscopy, SEM, various chemical analyses and digital imaging. Current research is funded by the Jackson Environment Institute to determine temporal (diurnal, weekly, seasonal) and spatial variations in urban particle types (morphology, chemistry, source etc.). Additional research in the ECRC includes taxonomy of the biological particulates in urban locations and also the role of fossil-fuel derived fly-ash in the urban aerosol load. Additionally, the ECRC are the Local Site Operators for the Department of the Environments Automatic Urban Network (Phase II - Hydrocarbon) central London site. UCL, Simon Maxwell ** NEW (97) Department of Geography University College London 26 Bedford Way London WC1H 0AP Telephone: 0171 387 7050 ext 5527 Fax: 0171 380 7565 Email: s.maxwell@geography.ucl.ac.uk ------------------------------------ Discounted knowledges: public understanding of air quality and health in Cambridge Introduction Air quality is one of the major environmental concerns in cities across the UK, affecting the health and quality of life of residents and people who visit urban areas. This project, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, aims to examine public understanding of air quality and health in Cambridge. The emphasis is not on the "hard" science that is usually found in debates about air quality, but instead this research adopts a social science approach. The complexity of the scientific information, such as the nature of the link between air quality and health, is often obscured in the media, and in information produced by "expert" groups for "non-experts". The views of "non-expert" groups are largely discounted in decision making processes. The key questions that this research aims to address are: *how are the "expert knowledges" in air quality and health debates produced by the various scientific and policy organisations, and what processes are involved in the differential "take-up" of these knowledges by other scientific and policy organisations, the media and pressure groups? *how is information taken up by the public and combined with local and personal experiences to create highly contextual and rich local knowledges? *how can the networks of communication in air quality and health debates be improved, and, specifically, how can the "discounted knowledges" of public groups be included within decision making processes? and *how does this case study of air quality and health contribute to the wider subject of the public understanding of environmental issues? How will the research will be carried out? The research will have the following strands: *in-depth discussion groups with residents. The meaning of environmental information that we receive is not interpreted on our own, but through discussion and negotiation with other members of our communities. In-depth discussion groups will allow these processes to be explored, in a way that would not be possible if individual questionnaires or interviews were used alone. Each group will have between 6 and 10 members and will meet 4 times. In-depth groups will involve the presentation of "provocative" scientific and policy material to group members for comment and discussion; and *formal and informal interviews with representatives from key organisations important in shaping air quality and health policy. How will this research be useful and to whom? This research will benefit public groups by exploring the ways in which their knowledges can be taken into better account in decision making processes. The research will also benefit scientific and policy organisations and pressure groups involved in debates about air quality and health through the exploration of more effective means of communication. In particular, it is expected that this research will benefit those working within the Local Agenda 21 framework. Further information If you would like further information about the project or could provide information to help me in any way, please contact me at the address above or: Tel 01223 293619; Email s.maxwell@geography.ucl.ac.uk ------------------------------------ UCL, Xuezhu LONG Department of Geography University College London 26 Bedford Way London WC1H 0AP email: xlong@geog.ucl.ac.uk Tel: 0171 637 0540 or 0171 387 6050 ext 5527 I am a PhD student, working with Dr Neil Rose (Environmental Change Research Centre, UCL) on microscopic analysis of airborne particulates in central London. We are developing a new sampling method from which collected particles are suitable for light microscopic analysis for morphological information, and for chemical analysis for composition and surface chemistry. Mainly based on the morphological information collected under light microscopy, a method of characterization and source apportionment of airborne particles in urban areas is under development. I used to work in the following research areas (topics): * numerical modeling of atmospheric boundary layer structure over urban areas; * numerical simulation of atmospheric diffusion and transportation over urban areas; * experimental studies of atmospheric boundary layer and air turbulence over complex terrain; * observational studies of aerosol effects on urban climate; * atmospheric environmental impact assessment; and * environment capacity management in urban areas. UCL. Craig Milliken ** NEW (97) MRes in Environmental Science Geog Dept. London WC1E 6BT ucfaacm@ucl.ac.uk Tel: 0171-223-0219 Tel: 0973 630052 MRes research paper on the effect of strikes by London Underground last summer, increased traffic levels within London and the resulting implications for public health. The project is entitled "Investigation into Urban Air Pollution Levels and Possible Health Effects in London Caused by Industrial Action by London Underground Ltd. during the Summer of 1996." During industrial action by London Underground Ltd., it can be shown that traffic levels in Londonincreased on certain days. There is a large body of clinical and epidemiological evidence suggesting that air pollution has a negitive effect of human health, and evidence that the majority of ambient urban air pollutants are vehicle generated. Therefore, we are examing the case, through statistical modlling of air pollution, traffic flow, meteorological, and A&E attendance data, that due to the withdrawl of one major transport network, namely the Underground, there was a negitive impact on public health. We shall also look at whether it is at all possible to quantify this impact. What exactly I shall conclude from this investigation still remains to be seen to an extent, so I can't really supply a better abstract at this stage. The way things are looking, is that I'll be able to put a good case together to show that air quality did deteriorate during this period, and that the nature of the deteriroration was such that it was likely to have caused a negative impact on some people, but the extent of this impact is obscured by a range of confusing inter-relationships and confounding factors. UCL. Peter Applestone ** NEW (97) UCL Geography Department London E-mail ucfapja@ucl.ac.uk; Telephone (evenings and weekends): 01582-460529. Mres Student The title of my project is "An investigation of the sources of particulate matter in the Kings Cross area (using physical characterisation)" (? - this is the uncertain bit) The area just to the north of Kings Cross and St. Pancras stations contains a wide variety of land uses, including 3 cement batching plants, a stone crushing works and 2 waste transfer stations. Local residents have complained to the council (LB Camden) in general terms about the levels of nuisance dust in the area. This project seeks to determine what the sources of particulate matter/dust are in the area, and whether their concentrations are significant enough to cause problems. I have monitored particulates using Burkard spore traps. One has been running next to the geography dept., UCL, for over two years now. I established another at Camley St. natural park in early February, and this ran for 9 weeks before problems arose; after these were sorted out, it has run for the past 2 weeks. A third spore trap ran at a council transport depot in York Way for a month during April. These spore traps are most efficient at capturing particles between 3-20 microns in diameter. A small selection of these spore trap records (tapes which last for a week) will be analysed, primarily using optical microscopy. I also hope to send a few samples to John Watt at IC for chemical analysis. Comparisons of particle counts and types will be undertaken between pairs of sites, and if possible, all three during the same period. I have also stuck ordinary microscope slides to horizontal surfaces at a variety of locations throughout the study area to assess nuisance dust. These slides are changed weekly and analysed using the Rendel dust meter, which gives a measure of the amount of light which is prevented from passing through the slide relative to a clean slide and a black hole. I will continue monitoring until the end of July, although there are plans to continue (if other labour can be found!) beyond this, since the study site will be subject to much disturbance and alteration in the next few years as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link is built into an enlarged St. Pancras station. This is another important aspect of this study - obtaining baseline measurements of dust and particle levels before construction work begins. UoE, Clare Mann ** NEW (97) Research Student University of Essex Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences Central Campus Wivenhoe Park Colchester Essex Tel: (Essex County Council) 01245 437759 I am doing an MSc by research at Essex University, which includes carrying out Air Quality Review work for Essex County Council. I have been here for 3 months. UoEA, Tim Chatterton ** NEW (97) School of Environmental Science University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ (01603) 593115 T.Chatterton@uea.ac.uk Key Areas of Work: Emissions Inventories, Dispersion Modelling, Monitoring, Environmental Impact Assessment, Strategic Environmental Assessment and Environmental Policy Co-ordination. As part of my dissertation for my Masters in Environmental Impact Assessment and Auditing, I constructed a 1 km resolution emissions inventory for Norfolk County Council. This project formed a case study for the analysis of attitudes to and practices of SEA and environmental policy co-ordination within a Local Authority. Further work is being carried out comparing the results of this inventory with data from the new NETCEN 1 km inventory. In October 1997, I began a NERC funded PhD under the working title of "GIS and Pollution Control" with Dr. Steve Dorling as my supervisor. This research is being carried out as a CASE studentship with Norwich City Council, where I will be working on their Review and Assessment of Air Quality. My current workload compromises the maintenance and improvement of the Norfolk emissions inventory, especially in the Norwich area, and the analysis of monitoring data from various sites in the City. The emissions inventory is going to be used as the baseline data for dispersion modelling using ADMS-Urban. One current aim of the project is to look at the impact of transboundary pollution on air quality in urban areas such as Norwich, which have relatively little heavy industry and no motorways. It is hoped that we will be able to use data from the Met Offices NAME model to calculate the contribution of sources outside the region to poor air quality episodes within the City. UoG, Bernard Fisher School of Earth & Environmental Sciences Medway Campus Chatham Maritime Kent ME4 4TB Tel 0181-331-9911 as before Fax 0181-331-9805 new E-mail fb04@gre.ac.uk Main interests are air pollution modelling and road transport, particularly in the so-called Thames gateway region east of London. I am chairman of the National Society for Clean Air's committee dealing with local air quality management. I have been developing approaches to air quality management by advising the Department of the Environment on guidance to local authorities for undertaking air quality reviews. UoG, Darren Hall University of Greenwich Rachel McMillan Building Depford Campus London PHONE: 0181 331 9967 HD415@greenwich.ac.uk Analysing data for London, looking in particular at pollution episodes. UoG, Elena Murphy-Klimova School of Environmental Sciences, University of Greenwich, Deptford Campus, Rachel McMillan Building, Creek Road, Deptford, London SE8 3BW Tel: 0181 331 99 67 E-mail: ME09@greenwich.ac.uk I am a PhD student at the University of Greenwich (this is my third year). I am working on air pollution modelling. My research is a part of the Thames Gateway Regeneration Project, supervised by Prof. B. Fisher. UoG, Gwyn Jones School of Environmental Sciences University of Greenwich Rachel McMillan Building Creek Road London SE8 3BW Tel:0181 331 9967 Fax:0181 331 8205 Email: js02@gre.ac.uk My research is based on the monitoring and modelling of volatile organic compounds in urban areas. The monitoring methods that I have used include whole air sampling using stainless steel canisters and adsorption methods using carbonaceous solid adsorbents. In addition I have experience in using chemical derivatisation and filters/polyurethane foams for sampling carbonyl and polynuclear aromatic compounds. I have limited experience in working with models so far but have recently used CALINE4 in a study looking at VOC concentrations at a South London site. UoG, Melanie Carder **Now ARIC at MMU University of Greenwich Rachel McMillan Building Depford Campus London PHONE: 0181 331 9967 E MAIL: cm533@gre.ac.uk Air Quality and Health My research started off with a general review of air quality in the East Thames Estuary region, using existing data supplied by various organisations. In particular, I analysed NO2 data obtained by diffusion tubes located in Dartford and Gravesham. The data appeared to suggest that the diffusion tubes were under reading NO2 levels. In response to this, we have set up some NOx tubes on and around the automatic NOx monitor in Deptford. I have also had access to monitoring data from 2 automated monitoring sites operated by Rochester council. All three of their monitoring stations are located in the playgrounds of schools which led on nicely to the idea of doing some sort of health study. Thus, the main part of my research is a study investigating the effects of air pollutants and meteorological variables on childhood asthma. The study commenced in November 1995 and ran for an initial one month trial period. This first month of the study primarily aimed to develop a methodology which was workable in the primary school environment. The school taking part in this trial period was Lower Stoke Primary school, which is situated in a fairly rural location on the Isle of Grain. After this initial month a, second school, situated in a more urban environment joined the study. Levels of NO2, SO2, O3, and PM10 are monitored at each school. In addition, each school has a weather station measuring temperature, windspeed, direction, rainfall and pressure. As a measure of health status, the children were asked to complete a daily lung function test, by measuring their peak expiratory flow using a peak flow meter. In addition, parents were asked to complete a questionnaire prviding details on the child's home environment and medical history. I am now at the stage of trying to make some sense of the huge mass of data. I am trying to see if any relationships exist between the pollutants and the PEF using multiple linear regression analysis and pearsons product-moment correlation efficient. UoG, Yvonne Wang University of Greenwich Rachel McMillan Building Depford Campus London PHONE: 0181 331 9967 W.H.Y.Wang@greenwich.ac.uk Yvonne(Wan-Hsuan) Wang, a PhD research student My research is to characterize the urban dusts/dirt and look at their biological effects. A case study will compare two urban city London and Hong Kong. The main reseach area includes as follows, ---- To characterize the physical and chemical properities of urban dust/dirt (mainly on metal and inorganic substances). ---- To look at the contaminant release kinetics from urban dusts. ---- To assess the dissolution kinetics under simulated gastic condition on human accidental ingestion. ---- To evaluate the toxicity of urban dust/dirt using bacteria, alga higher plants. ---- To assess the main cause sources of PM10. UoH, Richard Mann Atmospheric Research Group, Division of Environmental Science University of Hertfordshire College Lane Hatfield, Herts AL10 9AB Tel: 01707 285259 Home tel 01322 660202 (You are more likely to get me at home) E mail: R.C.Mann@herts.ac.uk I'm, working in Ranjeet Sokhi's Atmospheric Research Group at the University of Hertfordshire. I am undertaking a part time MPhil on the topic of Urban Air Quality. Previously I worked for many years in Computing Management in the Pharmaceutical Industry. Recently I have been developing a high spatial resolution (1 x 1km) Emission Inventory for Hertfordshire, focussing on traffic emissions as the primary source. This is highlighting the relative contributions from different road classes and vehicle types. I've also carried out a survey to look at driving habits in urban areas. UoN. Anil Namdeo ** NEW (97) PDRA, Civil Engg Dept. University of Nottingham University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK phone (+44)115-9515151 ext 2173 fax (+44)115-9513898 Anil.Namdeo@nottingham.ac.uk http://www.ccc.nottinghamac.uk/~evzakn/anilhome.htm http://www.ccc.nottinghamac.uk/~evzakn/pm10.htm Position: Post-doctoral research assistant Project: EPSRC funded project on 'Pathways of particulate pollution from road vehicles' Modelling: using SBLINE and CPB models Monitoring: Grimm Aerosol Spectrometers for particulate measurements UoR Giles Harrison ** NEW (97) Dr Giles Harrison Department of Meteorology University of Reading P.O Box 243, Earley Gate Reading Berks RG6 6BB UK tel: 0118 931 6690 fax: 0118 931 8905 email: r.g.harrison@uk.ac.rdg http://www.met.rdg.ac.uk/ boundary layer and pollution: http://www.met.rdg.ac.uk/~swrholdj/blmindex.html our local meteorological data http://www.met.rdg.ac.uk/~corrweb/INDEX.HTM UoW, Caitriona Ni Riain Research in Building Group, University of Westminster, Marylebone Rd., London NW1. 0171 911 5000 x 3014 niriaic@westminster.ac.uk Flow Field and Pollution Dispersion in a Central London Street Urban windfield and pollution concentration distributions are strongly dependent on the urban topography. Predictions from simple parametric models, or empirical relations derived from wind tunnel studies of idealised urban forms, may not be adequate determining facade concentrations for non-standard site geometries. The vertical profiles of carbon monoxide (CO) and temperature at the facade of a building in a Central London street were measured over a period of three months, in addition to above-roof wind speed and direction. The street has a height-to-width ratio of 0.6 and is of asymmetric horizontal alignment. No significant correlation was obtained between CO levels and meteorological factors. The gradients on the face of the building were very small, largely within the error limits of the CO sensors, and varied-sometimes even increasing with height. No clear reason for this was found in the data, although the temperature gradient on the face of the building seemed to play a strong role for isolated periods. Computational fluid flow modelling of the area surrounding the building showed that this may be partially due to lateral flows in the streets, which can be almost as strong as vertical circulations for the perpendicular wind case, causing drainage flows at lower levels into adjoining streets and urban spaces, below the measurement points, reducing the gradient. It was also found that in the absense of mechanical turbulence from vehicles initial vertical dispersion would be as much as twice horizontal dispersion, which could also account for the strong variability of the gradient as observed in the field. UWE, Nicola Burden Faculty of Applied Science University of the West of England Frenchay Campus Coldharbour Lane Bristol BS16 1QY NC-BURDEN@wpg.uwe.ac.uk Research title: An Air Pollution Modelling Study of Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations in Bristol and in the Light of Emission Control Strategies. The research is involved in investigating the dispersion modelling of nitrogen dioxide in the Bristol Area on both large and small scales. Initially the research has been concerned with comparing predictions of nitrogen dioxide concentrations from the simple graphical screening model produced by the Department of Transport (the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, DMRB) with the more complex model CALINE4. CALINE4 is a line source dispersion model based on Gaussian plume theories. The accuracy of the predictions was considered with respect to monitoring data from the M4/M5 interchange to the North of Bristol. Using the above data it has been possible to validate the CALINE4 model for the area and work is now being undertaken on future concentrations of nitrogen dioxide at the interchange. The project is also being expanded to consider the levels of nitrogen dioxide in the whole of Bristol. Investigating which are the most suitable models to use in the area to incorporate point, area and line sources and the complex topography in which Bristol is situated WRI, Luke Robinson Westlakes Research Institute Moor Row Cumbria CA24 3LN. ph: 01946 514053 email: luke@westlakes.ac.uk Turbulence measurements using ultrasonic anemometers.