On 29 April 2015 the Department of Physics at the University of Malta acquired a new set of equipment to investigate the air quality in our surroundings. The Atmospheric and Climate Research Group, which has since migrated to the Department of Geosciences, has now extended its interests to the indoor air quality as well.
The equipment consists of several state-of-the-art instruments capable of measuring air pollutants at part per million (ppm) and part per billion (ppb) levels. The pollutants under investigation would be ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, black/elemental carbon and radon.
The laboratory has two sets of each instrument with the intention of studying indoor and outdoor air quality simultaneously. Hence, half of the equipment is situated in a van together with a weather station. This set measures the outdoor air pollutants. The other half of the equipment is mounted on portable racks making it easier to transport the equipment into indoor environments.
The main research interests associated with the use of the Mobile Air Quality Laboratory are:
The laboratory was part-financed by the European Union Cohesion Fund Co-financing rate: 85% EU funds; 15% National Funds.
The Project Leader is Professor Charles V. Sammut, the Project Coordinator is Dr Noel Aquilina and the Research Support Officer is Mr William Hicklin.
For further information about this air quality mobile laboratory please contact the Project Coordinator.