News

AirUCI faculty Andrea De Vizcaya Ruiz was asked for comments on an article in TheKitchn.com about the risks to lung health associated with quartz countertops.  These are human-made engineered stone countertops formed by combining about 90% ground quartz (a natural hard mineral) with 8 to 10% resins, polymers, and pigments.  “Workers who perform countertop fabrication, including cutting, drilling, and grinding, generate crushed materials or dust that is small enough to get into the deep airways, causing irreversible lung damage,” says Andrea De Vizcaya Ruiz.  Read the article

In a November 22nd article in Newsweek, AirUCI faculty Jim Smith is quoted on recent AirUCI studies showing that tiny brake and tire particles have substatial effects on human health.  "Some studies have shown that brake particles have a similar effect on lung inflammation as diesel and wood combustion particles," said Jim.  "Given their rising dominance, potential health impacts and implications on environmental justice, it's imperative that we control the emissions of these particles at the source," he said.  These studies have prompted Mercedes Benz to revolutionize how cars brake, changes that would have sustainability and health benefits if introduced into production.  Read the article

A new study by AirUCI Co-Director Sergey Nizkorodov is profiled in The Brighter Side News and lends some positive news for Earth's atmosphere.  He has identified a mechanism where the atmosphere can clean itself, finding that even in darkness, water droplets can spontaneously produce hydroxyl radicals (OH), a molecule vital for breaking down pollutants. "The measured OH production rates in the dark were comparable to or even exceeded those driven by sunlight," said Sergey.   Read the article