My Research
Mercury, ozone, carbon monoxide, PM2.5, and a wide range of volatile organic compounds are ubiquitous air pollutants with serious consequences for both human and ecosystem health. Therefore their emission control is imperative, which needs sound policies. To provide solid science for policy-making, atmospheric budgets of these trace gases need to be quantified. My research includes the following areas:
Air Quality Impacts of Climate, Emissions, and Chemistry
- Investigate how changes in climate, emissions, and chemistry have shaped the long-term trends in baseline ozone and carbon monoxide int he northeastern United States
- Characterize long-term trends in surface ozone in national parks across the US and identify contributing factors including key climate processes and anthropogenic emission changes
- Understand the potential contribution of emissions from oil and natural gas industry to long-term trends in Intermountain West surface ozone
Atmospheric Mercury Cycling
- Developed a state-of-the-art mercury chemistry mechanism for regional modeling
- Investigate the chemical & dynamical drives of mercury spatiotemporal variability
- Understand and quantify contributions of factors controlling long-term trends in mercury deposition
Air Pollution in China: International Collaboration
- Built the first air quality monitoring station in Central East China, at Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Conducted studies to understand long-term ozone trends in China
- Investigated the mechanisms driving the smog episodes in East China
- Conducted field campaigns to study mercury atop Mt. Tai and a metropolis, Jinan, in Central East China
Syracuse Air Quality Measurements and Analysis
- Built an air quality station on the ESF campus, a perfect location to monitor air quality in Upstate New York
- Investigate the contributions of regional versus local emission sources to urban ambient concentrations of trace gases
- Identify undocumented mercury sources
Health Impacts of PM2.5
- Quantify ambient concentrations of PM2.5 and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in contrasting environments (urban vs. rural)
- Determine the source regions of measured pollutants
- Estimate PM2.5 and PAHs exposures using field data
- Examine biological effects of PM2.5 and PAHs