ExpACT

Title: ExpACT: Exposome ACTions perspectives

Researchers: Simona Cristescu, Amir Khodabakhsh, Joris Meurs
Funding: € 7 million, NWA-ORC
Project partners: AIREAS, ArboUnie, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Cosanta B.V., Cosine, De Haagse Hogeschool (HHS), De War, Gemeente Nijmegen, Gemeente Utrecht, Hogeschool Rotterdam – Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands eScience Center (NLeSC), NEVEDI, Omgevingsdienst regio Arnhem,Omgevingsdienst regio Nijmegen, Province of North Holland, Province Utrecht; Data en Kennis Hub Gezondstedelijk leven, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, RECETOX Centre, Masaryk University, Regiodeal Gelderse Vallei, Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, Stichting Nederlands Kenniscentrum Arbeid en Longaandoeningen, Technische Universiteit Delft, TNO, TNO Utrecht, Top Institute Comprehensive Analytical Sciences, Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Universiteit Leiden, Universiteit Utrecht, Waag | technology & society

The Netherlands faces significant challenges related to pollution, known as the exposome. Air pollution is a major source of pollution and causing political and societal debate. Major transitions in sectors like mobility, energy, and agriculture are occurring in residential areas. These transitions affect air quality, leading to conflicts and decreased mutual trust between governments, companies and residents. There is a clear need for better technological measurement methods and stakeholder involvement in the collection and analysis of air quality data. ExpACT addresses these gaps by combining innovative measurement technologies with participatory methods, focusing on industrial, agricultural, urban, and workplace environments.

There is a clear need to improve our ability to dynamically measure air quality in situ and in real-time. Therefore, one of our ambitions in ExpACT is to develop methodologies to go beyond citizens science, and stakeholder engagement and including the ethical, legal and societal aspects of the technologies. In this project, TDLab receives € 840,000 to develop and apply two innovative techniques for in-situ detection and monitoring of the chemical exposome in air at different length scales. (1) Field deployable mid-IR coherent open-path spectroscopy (COPS) instrument to measure chemical exposome components in air. This will be combined with the satellite spectroscopy for mapping the air pollutants with unprecedented accuracy, high spatial and temporal resolution. (2) Mobile Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (ToF-MS) for real-time chemical analysis of volatile organic compounds and (organic) aerosols. Here, we go beyond the state-of-the-art by including an innovative particle inlet system that will allow the extension of the range of detectable molecules to semi-volatile, intermediate-volatile and low-volatile organic compounds (e.g. polyaromatic hydrocarbons - PAHs). Simona Cristescu (TD lab): “I am grateful to my team members Amir Khodabakhsh and Joris Meurs who help me with taking this important role in such a unique project and we are looking forward to it!"