What are the secondary organic aerosol (SOA)?
As a class, secondary organic aerosols (SOA) are air pollutants formed through complex interaction of sunlight, volatile organic compounds emitted from trees, plants, automobiles, industries and other airborne chemical species (i.e., NOx and SO2). SOA is a major constituents of the fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which has been known to cause the adverse effects on pulmonary health and climate.
What is our laboratory doing?
SOA is under investigation in a multidisciplinary approach to understand how SOA contribute to airborne fine particulate matter, the possible public health and atmospheric effects. Our research team is studying SOA to answer questions below:
- What are the most common precursor of SOAs in the tropospheric atmosphere?
- What are the mechanisms of the formation of SOAs in the atmosphere?
- What is their chemical composition?
- What are the fate of the SOAs as they travel through the atmosphere?
- What are their health effects?
- What are their effects on climate forcing?