FLORENCE – The University of North Alabama is the recipient of an $82,927 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Dr. Chong Qiu, assistant professor of chemistry, was awarded the grant for his project, Collaborative Research: Kinetics and Mechanism of Restructuring of Atmospheric Soot and Associated Impact on Light Absorption.
Qiu said the goal of his project is to identify pathways leading to different mixing states of atmospheric nanoparticles. “We then determine the extent and timescale of particle morphology restructuring and quantify the associated changes in light absorption,” he said. “We intend to conduct a series of experimental and modeling studies to test several hypotheses that may explain and predict aging of atmospheric soot particles and the impact on particle morphology and optical 
properties.”
In simpler terms, Qiu said the outcome of the study will advance our understanding of atmospheric soot and its influence on the environment and climate change. The recent NSF grant will provide Qiu support over the next three years so that he and select students from UNA will be able to travel to the New Jersey Institute of technology and conduct experiments and modeling studies. In addition, the grant will provide students with the opportunity to participate in regional and national scientific conferences to present their findings.
Qiu said that he’s excited because the proposed project addresses the scientific need to understand the processes governing the transformations and impacts of atmospheric soot aerosols. “A better understanding of soot atmospheric transformations will help to reduce the uncertainties in climate prediction and also in the impacts of soot on air quality and human health,” he said. “Hence, the proposed research not only will advance the knowledge of processes governing the soot ageing, but also will be beneficial to society by identifying potential human health and climate issues and helping policy-decision makers develop effective control strategies.”
Qiu said he and his students also intend to summarize their findings in several manuscripts with the goal of submitting them to prominent peer-reviewed journals in environmental research, including Environmental Science &Technology, Aerosol Science & Technology and the Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres.
For more information on UNA’s chemistry department: https://www.una.edu/chem-ih/
MEDIA RELEASE/UNA/Bryan Rachal, University Communications
