Aerosol Science: Technology and Applications

Preface

An aerosol is a stable suspension of solid and liquid particles in a gas. Aerosols are ubiquitous throughout the environment and are very important to public health. It is important that we understand their dynamics so that we can quantify their effects on humans. Airborne particulate matter is a complex mixture of many different chemical species, originating from a variety of sources. Particulate matter can act as a transport medium for several chemical compounds, as well as for biological materials absorbed or adsorbed upon them. The field of aerosol science and technology has advanced significantly over the past 20 years, with ultrafine particles gaining particular interest, not only for their health properties but also for their industrial applications.

Particles in the atmosphere have important effects on both air pollution and climate. There is also increasing concern that terrorist attacks could result in the contamination of the atmosphere with chemical, biological or radiological materials. However, aerosols have been assessed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as having the largest radiative forcing uncertainty. Geoengineering has been proposed as a feasible way of mitigating climate change, with many of the suggested approaches involving injecting aerosols into the atmosphere.

This book reviews the technological applications of aerosol science, together with the current scientific status of aerosol modelling and measurements. It presents ...