The project aims at investigating how organic compounds in atmospheric aerosol can coordinate with, and therefore increase the solubility of, metals in the aerosol itself or in atmospheric aqueous environments (e.g. cloud and fog droplets, or deliquescent aerosol at high relative humidity), and to study the effects of such mechanism on public health in an urban environment. The objectives will be pursued using an integrated approach combining field measurements, laboratory experiments, and toxicity tests. Aerosols from the urban area of Padova (Italy) within the Po Valley will be sampled, analysed to quantify metal-organic complexes and used in toxicity tests. Smog chambers will be used to realistically reproduce the gas-particle-droplet interaction in atmospheric conditions. Toxicity mechanisms will be investigated in vitro using human pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells on both atmospheric and synthetic aerosol to relate particle toxicity to the presence of metal-ligand complexes.
The position if for 12 months. All detail information on the position and on how to apply can be found by contacting prof. Chiara Giorio: chiara.giorio@unipd.it
Link to the EURAXESS job position: http://www.euraxess.it/jobs/355435
Link to the official university call (in Italian only): http://protocollo.unipd.it/albo/files/008061406-UNPD0Z9-b45f78e1-fc39-4726-8242-f58fce833cbb-000.pdf
