ERC investigators are international leaders in fundamental and applied research on the formation and control of nano-particle and related particulates resulting from both jet and rocket engines in the atmosphere. Significant advances with respect to the design and operation of jet engines in commercial, private and military aircraft have led to a reduction in the impact of atmospheric particulates and aerosols. This work has had a significant impact on Missouri due to the major aerospace activity within the State.

Indoor air pollution is an emerging issue due to the substantial impact of these compounds on public health. The ETC “indoor air pollution” research focuses on how indoor surfaces can act as chemical sinks to reduce exposure or to generate secondary, and perhaps more problematic, air pollutants. ERC researchers are mining this information to improve assessment of exposure, and to help identify which compounds are responsible for adverse health impacts such as childhood asthma.

                                                                Current Projects in the ERC:  

The Whitefield/Hagen research group is studying aerospace particulates in many different applications including jet engine and rocket engines, and in commercial and military applications. The work of this group is internationally recognized for excellence and innovation.  The Morrison research group conducted the first chemical and mechanistic analysis of the influence of ammonia and carbon-dioxide on the sorption of indoor pollutants. The study evaluated typical indoor surfaces and found that ammonia, commonly emitted from cleaners or waste products (e.g. diapers), drives amines off surfaces and into indoor air. Carbon dioxide tends to reduce indoor air concentrations of amines by increasing the capacity of surfaces. (Sponsor: NSF) (See Ongwandee and Morrison, 2005; Ongwandee and Morrison, 2006)

• The Morrison research group conducted the first field study of smog chemistry with indoor surfaces. By challenging building surfaces, such as carpet, with ozone, they have quantified the chemical reactivity and product yields of secondary aldehydes. Their work shows that carpet is the most important ozone sink, and secondary aldehyde source, in new buildings. As buildings age, carpets retain the ability to consume ozone and exhibit lower secondary aldehyde yields. Occupant use of cleaners and cooking oils enhances surface reactivity of kitchen or other surfaces. (Sponsor: NSF) (No publications in press to date: see Wang et al., 2006 in review.)
  
  

• The Morrison research group conducted field studies of indoor pollutant transport characteristics to provide guidance on the use of indoor air quality models. Their work demonstrates the importance of measuring both the time-varying and space-varying nature of pollutant transport to improve estimates of occupant exposure. (Sponsor: NSF) (See Morrison and Wiseman, 2006; Morrison et al., 2006.)
  
  
• The Morrison research group is presently conducting laboratory studies to quantify the heterogeneous kinetics of terpenes with ozone on indoor surfaces. Cleaners and other consumer products release large amounts of fragrances (terpenes) that react in air with ozone forming aerosols and irritating products. Surface chemistry with ozone is presently unknown, but is anticipated to be more important for many of the fragrance compounds found indoors. (Sponsor: NIOSH) (No publications in press to date)
  
  
• The Morrison research group is presently conducting laboratory studies to quantify ozone chemistry on human hair and in the near-head region. Individuals that use certain shampoos and conditioners are more heavily exposed to the byproducts of smog chemistry on their hair. Individuals wearing fragrances are more heavily exposed to aerosols and irritants due to ozone-terpene reactions. Morrison’s group has learned that most human hair is very ozone-reactive and that some hair products generate secondary aldehydes that will be released into the breathing zone. (Sponsor: NSF) (No publications in press to date; see Karamalegos et al. 2006 in review.)
  
  
• The Morrison research group is conducting theoretical research to improve estimates of childhood exposure to asthma causing chemical agents. They find that a chemical signature remains in indoor materials, such as wood or plastics, long after exposure occurs. This signature can be used to “back-calculate” exposure that occurred years before. This is especially useful in studies of children and adolescents with asthma, because their exposure to the causative agent may have occurred when they were infants. (Sponsor: none) (No publications in press to date; see Morrison et al. 2006, in review.)
  
  
• The Chusuei/Morrison research group conducted surface vibrational studies of amines and carbon dioxide adsorbed onto polyethylene powders (simulating indoor surfaces) using attenuated-total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy. A custom ATR cell was designed and constructed to monitor the in situ gas adsorption onto the solid surfaces. [See Chusuei and Morrison, Contribution to Healthy Buildings Conference 2006 in Lisboa, PORTUGAL (to be presented in June 2006).].