Air Quality, Health & Climate

Aerosols are tiny airborne particles ranging from desert dust and sea spray to soot from combustion and chemically formed secondary particles that play a critical role in Earth’s climate, atmospheric chemistry, and human health. This focus group investigates the sources, properties, and impacts of aerosols on atmospheric processes and air quality with the goal of deepening understanding of their influence on climate regulation, the water cycle, and the spread of airborne diseases.

Bringing together experts from atmospheric chemistry, physics, environmental science, and health research at the MPI for Chemistry and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, the group studies particle formation, composition, and transformation using advanced measurement techniques, laboratory experiments, field campaigns, and modeling approaches. Key research topics include the characterization of fine particulate matter PM2.5, ozone chemistry, and the emerging field of indoor air quality which is especially timely given that people spend over eighty percent of their time indoors where complex chemical and physical processes govern air pollutant dynamics.

The group emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration to link detailed physical and chemical aerosol characterization with assessments of physiological and ecological impacts addressing urgent challenges such as outdoor air pollution responsible for millions of premature deaths worldwide and urban air quality exceeding WHO guidelines. By integrating expertise across disciplines, this focus group advances knowledge essential for mitigating health risks and improving atmospheric environment quality.