Removal of toxic air pollutants from car cabin by photocatalytic oxidation reactor. The air inside car cabin contains the contaminated air drawn from the traffic exhaust which has high levels of volatile organic compounds and other toxic air pollutants. The poor air quality in the car can pose a public health problem. Photocatalytic oxidation is an emerging technology which can remove the toxic organic pollutants in car cabin by mineralising them. This proposed research aims to quantify the pho ....Removal of toxic air pollutants from car cabin by photocatalytic oxidation reactor. The air inside car cabin contains the contaminated air drawn from the traffic exhaust which has high levels of volatile organic compounds and other toxic air pollutants. The poor air quality in the car can pose a public health problem. Photocatalytic oxidation is an emerging technology which can remove the toxic organic pollutants in car cabin by mineralising them. This proposed research aims to quantify the photocatalytic oxidation process occurring in titanium dioxide mediated reactor by simulating air flow and radiation. The developed simulation model can be used as a designing tool to optimise the cost-effective reactor design.Read moreRead less
Developing and validating an air quality assessment model for application in human exposure assessment, housing/urban planning and policy setting. At present there does not exist a model for assessing human exposure to airborne pollutants in places where people live, work and rest. In addition, experimental exposure assessments display large discrepancies dependent on the measurement method used. This research aims at developing and validating an air quality assessment model that would enable ....Developing and validating an air quality assessment model for application in human exposure assessment, housing/urban planning and policy setting. At present there does not exist a model for assessing human exposure to airborne pollutants in places where people live, work and rest. In addition, experimental exposure assessments display large discrepancies dependent on the measurement method used. This research aims at developing and validating an air quality assessment model that would enable predictions of air quality in various mircoenvironments for the purpose of exposure and risk assessment, housing and urban planning, and policy setting. This research will provide scientific foundation and a tool for developing future directions for management and control to protect the community and the environment.Read moreRead less
The Effect of Fuel Type on Health and Environmental Risks Caused by Motor Vehicle Emissions. Motor vehicles constitute one of the most significant sources of air pollutants but the state of knowledge on the quantity of some of these does not permit for projection of the risk they create. This project aims at quantification of emissions of pollutants contributing to deterioration of health, ozone formation, global warming and acid rain as a function of fuel type, using a novel on-road sampling m ....The Effect of Fuel Type on Health and Environmental Risks Caused by Motor Vehicle Emissions. Motor vehicles constitute one of the most significant sources of air pollutants but the state of knowledge on the quantity of some of these does not permit for projection of the risk they create. This project aims at quantification of emissions of pollutants contributing to deterioration of health, ozone formation, global warming and acid rain as a function of fuel type, using a novel on-road sampling method. Resultantly, a holistic picture of integrated health and environmental risk will be developed that will build a scientific foundation for future fuel,transport and land use to protect the community and the environment.Read moreRead less
Risk assessment for environmental health in Adelaide based on weather, air pollution and population health outcomes. This is the first systematic assessment of the effect of climate variation and air pollution on population health in an Australian temperate region. It is one of the ARC's research priorities (PG 7: Responding to climate change and variability). The results will provide a more complete picture of association among air pollution, climate variability and population health in Austral ....Risk assessment for environmental health in Adelaide based on weather, air pollution and population health outcomes. This is the first systematic assessment of the effect of climate variation and air pollution on population health in an Australian temperate region. It is one of the ARC's research priorities (PG 7: Responding to climate change and variability). The results will provide a more complete picture of association among air pollution, climate variability and population health in Australia. They will also provide important information to policy-makers and communities for their relevant actions, including changes in resource management systems and the operation of these systems, a range of socioeconomic actions, infrastructure establishment, disaster prevention and emergency events response regulation, and health education and promotion campaigns.Read moreRead less
Optimization of fuel consumption and vehicle emission by simulating the integrated air conditioning and engine controls. As public interest on environmental conservation increases, tougher regulations on vehicle emission and fuel consumption will be implemented causing likely further restrictions on fuel consumption while operating the air conditioning system. Currently air conditioning and engine systems are controlled by two separate programs and lack effective communication between each other ....Optimization of fuel consumption and vehicle emission by simulating the integrated air conditioning and engine controls. As public interest on environmental conservation increases, tougher regulations on vehicle emission and fuel consumption will be implemented causing likely further restrictions on fuel consumption while operating the air conditioning system. Currently air conditioning and engine systems are controlled by two separate programs and lack effective communication between each other. This research aims to gain better understanding of the quantitative effects of car air-conditioning systems on fuel consumption and various air pollutant emissions, and develop an integrated simulation tool that links the air conditioning, engine fuel consumption and emission to assist the achievement of optimum vehicle energy and emission management.Read moreRead less
Physical factors affecting deposition of combustion submicrometer particles in the human lung. Particles generated from combustion sources have a profound effect on human health, yet there is lack of scientific understanding of the role of different physical mechanisms on particle deposition in the lung. This program will advance scientific knowledge in this field through multidisciplinary efforts of a team from QUT and the University of Salzburg, Austria. It aims at quantification of particle d ....Physical factors affecting deposition of combustion submicrometer particles in the human lung. Particles generated from combustion sources have a profound effect on human health, yet there is lack of scientific understanding of the role of different physical mechanisms on particle deposition in the lung. This program will advance scientific knowledge in this field through multidisciplinary efforts of a team from QUT and the University of Salzburg, Austria. It aims at quantification of particle deposition in human lung through experimental studies and advanced modelling. The program will enhance and strengthen the existing collaboration between the universities and its outcome will be of significance in the vital area of human health and risk assessment.Read moreRead less
Bushfire smoke and the relationship between human and landscape health. A team of landscape ecologists, environmental chemists and public health specialists will determine the ecological causes and adverse health effects of different levels of bushfire smoke in Darwin. Darwin is an ideal setting for this research because the only source of air pollution is the high incidence of controlled and uncontrolled bushfires during the dry season causing variable air quality: a preliminary study found a ....Bushfire smoke and the relationship between human and landscape health. A team of landscape ecologists, environmental chemists and public health specialists will determine the ecological causes and adverse health effects of different levels of bushfire smoke in Darwin. Darwin is an ideal setting for this research because the only source of air pollution is the high incidence of controlled and uncontrolled bushfires during the dry season causing variable air quality: a preliminary study found a link between smoke pollution levels and asthma. The findings of the proposed research will contribute to improved fire management practices to reduce injurious smoke pollution events and contribute to setting appropriate national air quality standards.Read moreRead less
Optimisation of indoor air quality, thermal comfort and energy usage within buildings located in busy transit oriented urban developments. The socio-economic benefits to Australia from the project include (i) a novel holistic modelling tool to building design that maximises indoor comfort and provides acceptable air quality for the inhabitants whilst minimising energy usage in transit oriented urban developments; and (ii) estimation of energy consumption for different building designs and operat ....Optimisation of indoor air quality, thermal comfort and energy usage within buildings located in busy transit oriented urban developments. The socio-economic benefits to Australia from the project include (i) a novel holistic modelling tool to building design that maximises indoor comfort and provides acceptable air quality for the inhabitants whilst minimising energy usage in transit oriented urban developments; and (ii) estimation of energy consumption for different building designs and operation with respect to air quality and thermal comfort. The ultimate economic benefit of this research will be a reduction in health care costs and lost productivity as well as reduction of energy used and associated emissions. The research will also place Australia in the forefront of international progress and the race towards better methods for achieving environmental sustainability.Read moreRead less
Quantification of Traffic Generated Nano and Ultrafine Particle Dynamics and Toxicity in Transit Hubs and Transport Corridors. The socio-economic benefits to Australia will include (i) new knowledge for the multiparameter assessment of nano and ultrafine particles, pollutants in the centre of current scientific, medical and policy debates (ii) a breakthrough in the scientific understanding of traffic generated particles in the urban atmosphere (iii) determining the toxicological impact of these ....Quantification of Traffic Generated Nano and Ultrafine Particle Dynamics and Toxicity in Transit Hubs and Transport Corridors. The socio-economic benefits to Australia will include (i) new knowledge for the multiparameter assessment of nano and ultrafine particles, pollutants in the centre of current scientific, medical and policy debates (ii) a breakthrough in the scientific understanding of traffic generated particles in the urban atmosphere (iii) determining the toxicological impact of these particles on biological systems. The ultimate economic benefit will be improved urban design to lower human exposure to ultrafine particles, thus reducing health care cost and productivity losses. The research will also place Australia at the forefront of international progress towards better methods for achieving environmental sustainability.Read moreRead less
AN INTEGRATED MODEL OF BUS EMISSION IMPACTS AT AND AROUND BUS STATIONS AND BUSWAYS FOR TRANSPORT AND LAND USE PLANNING. Buses are one of the two most common forms of public transport in Australia, with bus fleet and service coverage increasing, yet the effect on human health and the environment of the emissions from these vehicles is unknown. This research will develop a comprehensive model of bus emission impacts in and around bus stations and along bus corridors for use in exposure and risk as ....AN INTEGRATED MODEL OF BUS EMISSION IMPACTS AT AND AROUND BUS STATIONS AND BUSWAYS FOR TRANSPORT AND LAND USE PLANNING. Buses are one of the two most common forms of public transport in Australia, with bus fleet and service coverage increasing, yet the effect on human health and the environment of the emissions from these vehicles is unknown. This research will develop a comprehensive model of bus emission impacts in and around bus stations and along bus corridors for use in exposure and risk assessment, integrated transport and land use planning and policy setting. This research will provide a scientific foundation for developing future directions for the management of public transport to minimize the impact of emissions on the public and the environment.Read moreRead less