Atmospheric Pollutants & Greenhouse Gases

Quantitative chemical analysis of airborne particulate matter (PM) is vital for the understanding of health effects in indoor and outdoor environments, as well as for enforcing EU air quality regulations. 

The AEROMET (Aerosol Metrology for Atmospheric Science and Air Quality) aims to lay the foundation and strengthen the metrological frameworks for air quality monitoring in Europe. Ultimately, AEROMET wants to develop and demonstrate methods with improved traceability and sensitivity for aerosol composite analysis.

During this project, cascade impactor aerosol sampling was combined for the first time with total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectroscopy to develop a tool for quantifying particle element compositions on-site and within short time intervals. 

Precise quantitative measurements to determine the concentration of various Greenhouse Gases in the atmosphere are of fundamental importance to understand their impact on climate change.  

Bruker’s high-end FTIR spectrometer IFS 125HR and the portable FT-IR spectrometer EM27/SUN can use the sun as the light source in order to measure the total column of a large number of relevant GHGs in the atmosphere. 

The spectrometers are employed either stationary, even in remote areas, or mobile for temporary measurement campaigns. The results allow e.g. to validate satellite-based measurements or to determine the amount of Greenhouse Gases emitted by a local source such as a city.

Climate changing greenhouse gas emissions and harmful air pollution are two closely linked problems. For a better understanding and mitigation investigations of their sources and sinks are necessary.

MIRO Analytical provides the world’s most precise 10-gas analyzer capable of simultaneous high-precision monitoring of the air pollutants NO, NO₂, CO, NH₃, and SO₂ and the greenhouse gases CO₂, N₂O, CH₄, and H₂O next to other trace gases such as HONO and HCHO.

With their robustness and low detection limits the MGA-series analyzers are suitable for mobile monitoring campaigns on aircrafts, ships, and cars as well as laboratory studies or measurements in remote field sites