Research summary
Exposure to polluted air can have serious negative effects on our health. Pollution can take forms that we may not have considered, such as wildfires, cannabis smoke and smoke from cooking. In fact, the contributions of these pollutants to reduced air quality in urban areas, in particular, could soon exceed those of motor vehicles.
Dr. Arthur Chan, Canada Research Chair in Atmospheric Chemistry and Health, is working to understand the atmospheric chemistry and health impacts of these understudied and emerging pollution sources. To do this, Chan and his research team are characterizing the chemical composition of emissions, studying how they transform in the atmosphere and assessing just how toxic they are. Better understanding of these emerging sources of pollution will lead to effective solutions to reduce their effects and protect our health.