Project: Metrology for light absorption by atmospheric aerosols

Acronym 16ENV02 Black Carbon (Reference Number: 16ENV02)
Duration 01/07/2017 - 30/06/2020
Project Topic Black carbon, emitted from sources such as diesel engines and wood burning, is a major contributor to climate change, second only in importance to carbon dioxide, and a primary component and key indicator of particulate matter, known to cause hundreds of thousands of premature deaths across Europe each year. However, the different instruments currently in use for measuring the amount of black carbon in the atmosphere give results that differ by up to 30 % and there is no way to link measurements to the SI.This project will put traceability and calibration mechanisms in place for black carbon measurements for the first time, improving their accuracy and comparability. The improved measurements resulting from this work will be used to refine climate change models and mitigation proposals, and improve the quality of conclusions from population studies investigating the health effects of air pollution.
Website visit project website
Network EMPIR
Call EMPIR Call 2016

Project partner

Number Name Role Country
1 NPL Management Limited Coordinator United Kingdom
2 Ilmatieteen laitos Partner Finland
3 Laboratoire national de métrologie et d'essais Partner France
4 Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt Partner Germany
5 National Center for Scientific Research "Demokritos" Partner Greece
6 Leibniz Institut fuer Troposphaerenforschung e.V. Partner Germany
7 Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz Observer Switzerland
8 Eidgenössisches Institut für Metrologie METAS Observer Switzerland
9 Paul Scherrer Institute Observer Switzerland