The main objective of the Italian Aerosol Society is to further the study of issues related to the study of atmospheric particulate matter and to create synergies among different professionals from research institutions, pollution control/monitoring agencies, and companies specializing in instrumentation for environmental measurements. It is organized into five working groups:
WG1: Aerosol generation sources and processes
Coordinators: Eleonora Cuccia ARPA Lombardy Via Rosellini 17 – 20124 Milano
Maria Chiara Bove ARPA Liguria, Air quality Unit Via Bombrini 8 – 16149 Genova |
Atmospheric aerosol has a major impact on ecosystems, human health and climate change.
The aerosol formation processes as well as the aging mechanisms and the interactions with a
serie of atmospheric processes are multiple and therefore several aspects are still subject to
further investigation.
This group has the main purpose of investigating the physical, chemical and optical properties
of atmospheric aerosol and its interactions.
Furthermore, the investigations carried out to take into account the complex multiphase system
and the modeling applied to the aerosol were considered.
This group is also dedicated to the understanding, analysis and knowledge of the life cycle of
atmospheric particulate matter, with particular attention to its role in cloud formation and
its impact on the Earth's radiative balance.
The group also intends to carry out studies and insights also through interaction
with the others IAS working groups in particular through the study of source apportionment
for the identification of the different sources that contribute to the formation of atmospheric
particulate matter and through the possible use of atmospheric simulation chamber.
This working group is made up of both personnel from regional environmental protection
agencies and personnel from research institutions, constituting an interdisciplinary scientific
forum committed to promoting scientific exchange on the one hand and attention to the
legislative aspect on the other by promoting interactions between different environmental
compartments and within the broader atmospheric aerosol scientific community.
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WG2: Sampling techniques and analysis of PMx Coordinator: Daniela Cesari Institute of Atmosferic Sciences and Climate (ISAC), National Research Council (CNR) U.O.S. of Lecce Str. Prov. Lecce-Monteroni Km 1,2 – 73100 Lecce |
The topic "PMx sampling and analysis techniques" dealt with by the WG covers
not only the aspects relating to the measurement of the aerosol and its chemical-physical
properties, but is also interested in the evaluation of the data acquired by the instrumentation.
The main objective is the exchange of information and experiences both on the methodological
aspects and on the problems related to the sampling and the physico-chemical characterization
of atmospheric aerosols.
The topic dealt with is therefore such as to attract the interest of various professionals from
research institutions, agencies for the control/monitoring of pollution and companies specialized
in the sector of instrumentation for environmental measurements.
Performed activities: Smart Sensors Intercomparison
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WG3: Atmospheric aerosol properties, processes and transformations in the atmosphere
Coordinator: Luca Ferrero Milano-Bicocca University (UNIMIB), Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences DISAT
Piazza della Scienza 1 – 20126 Milano
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It deals with the aspects related to the physical and chemical properties of the atmospheric
aerosol and the processes that determine them, as well as the impact of the aerosol on the
atmosphere.
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WG4: Aerosol in polar and remote areas
Coordinator: Elena Barbaro Institute of Polar Sciences (ISP), National Research Council (CNR), Venice Via Torino 155 – 30172 Mestre Venezia
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This group aims to involve all researchers who deal with the study of atmospheric aerosol sampled in polar
and remote areas, such as high mountain sites, encouraging scientific exchange both nationally and
internationally. The group aims to coordinate activities in polar areas, such as projects at
the Gruvebadet atmospheric observatory (Svalbad Islands, Norwegian Arctic) and also in Antarctica
at the Mario Zucchelli and Concordia bases. The WG also aims to encourage and coordinate research
among groups studying aerosol in mountain sites, organizing specific workshops on the subject.
Another important aspect of the WG's activity is dissemination in schools but also aimed at the
general public to understand the importance of studying aerosols in these remote areas.
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WG5: Health effects of particulate matter Coordinator: Lorenzo Massimi Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry
Department of Environmental Biology
Sapienza University of Rome
Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome (ITALY)
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Over the years, numerous studies have identified oxidative stress generation as one of the main mechanisms through which particulate matter (PM) exerts its adverse health effects. The ability of PM to induce oxidative stress is often estimated by acellular assays of oxidative potential (OP) or by cellular assays.
Acellular OP assays are increasingly used because they are fast, easy to apply, and can be used on the large number of samples typical of PM monitoring campaigns. However, OP assays have several critical issues due to the absence of standardized protocols, the different selectivity of the assays to single PM components and/or emission sources, and their poorly verified representativeness of actual oxidative stress generation in living organisms. Cellular assays are more representative but require higher costs and/or longer application times, making their application on a large number of samples more difficult. Moreover, multiple biological responses have been evaluated over the years on different cell lines, each of which is more associated with specific chemical-physical characteristics of the dust, making the results obtained on a national scale difficult to interpret. The use of model organisms, still not widely used, may allow the evaluation of additional response pathways present in more complex biological systems and thus more representative of human health effects. Within this framework, this IAS multidisciplinary working group, composed of both staff from research institutions and staff from regional environmental protection agencies, aims to collect and process, on a national scale, the information needed to understand the relationships between the chemical-physical properties, emission sources and health effects of PM. |