Career: Resuspension of Environmental Pollutants: an Investigation of Mechanical and Electrostatic Forces

建议编号：CBET-0846704主要调查者：铁再悬浮，即悬浮颗粒升起并重新夹带到空气中，是人类在室内和室外暴露于颗粒结合污染物的重要来源。然而，再悬浮还没有得到很好的表征，现有的基本模型到目前为止仅限于理想情况，不能准确地预测真实环境中的再悬浮。为了解决这一研究差距，这个职业项目将使用综合研究和教学方法来调查污染物的再悬浮。职业发展计划的目标是：(1)培养准备充分的科学家和工程师，他们能够在污染物的去向和迁移领域应用他们的知识；(2)增加理工科本科生和研究生的人数；(3)通过理论和实验相结合的工作，描述再悬浮颗粒的行为；(4)改进和验证一个基本的再悬浮模型，以预测建筑环境中的颗粒行为；以及(5)通过推进和传播再悬浮/沉积循环在暴露途径中的作用，改变人们对有害物质暴露的看法。PI将进行综合的实验和理论研究，以表征和模拟人类行走中悬浮颗粒的行为。她将利用实验室和风洞研究来量化再悬浮因素，并利用建模研究来开发和验证理论再悬浮模型。通过提供将再悬浮纳入人体暴露和污染物循环模型的工具，并通过有针对性的教育和推广计划，拟议的研究可能导致：1)建筑环境中使用的材料的选择发生变化；2)对化学和生物制剂的紧急反应提供指导；以及3)改变人类行为和政策，以减少对再次悬浮污染物的暴露。该项目将对研究生、本科生和K-12年级的教师和学生进行环境污染物的去向和迁移方面的培训，并通过积极的招聘和指导，增加科学和工程研究中代表性不足的群体的存在。

Proposal No: CBET-0846704Principal Investigator: Ferro Resuspension, the lift off and reentrainment of settled particles into the air, is an important source of human exposure to particle bound pollutants, both indoors and outdoors. However, resuspension has not been well characterized and existing fundamental models have thus far been limited to ideal cases that do not accurately predict resuspension in real environments. To address this research gap, this CAREER project will investigate the resuspension of pollutants using an integrated research and teaching approach. The objectives of the career development plan are: (1) to develop well prepared scientists and engineers who can apply their knowledge in the area of pollutant fate and transport; (2) to increase the numbers of underrepresented students in science and engineering undergraduate and graduate study; (3) to characterize the behavior of resuspended particles through a combination of theoretical and experimental work; (4) to improve and validate a fundamental resuspension model to predict particle behavior in the built environment; and (5) to transform the way people view human exposure to harmful substances by advancing and communicating the role the resupension/deposition cycle in exposure pathways. The PI will conduct integrated experimental and theoretical research to characterize and model the behavior of resuspended particles from human walking. She will employ chamber and wind tunnel studies to quantify resuspension factors and modeling studies to develop and validate a theoretical resuspension model. By providing the tools to incorporate resuspension in human exposure and pollutant cycling models and through a targeted educational and outreach plan, the proposed research could result in: 1) changes in the selection of materials used in the built environment; 2) guidance for emergency response to chemical and biological agents; and 3) human behavior modification and policy changes to reduce exposure to resuspended pollutants. This project will train graduate, undergraduate, and K-12 teachers and students in the fate and transport of environmental pollutants, and increase the presence of underrepresented groups in science and engineering research through active recruitment and mentorship.