Atmospheric Reseach Chamber Projects


Gas-Phase Dynamics of Persistent Organic Compounds:
An Investigation of the Effect of Climate using a Controlled Chamber

Funded by the National Science Foundation
Faculty Early Career Development Program

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Dr. Hornbuckle will be investigating the effect of climate on the distribution of persistent organic compounds between terrestrial plants and the atmosphere. This work will contribute to the understanding of how these compounds are transported through the atmosphere. Many of these compounds bioaccumulate, cause reproductive harm or are probable endocrine disrupters. The details of atmospheric transport are not well understood. Hornbuckle hypothesizes that plants mediate the transfer of these chemicals by acting as temporary resting points for vapor-phase compounds. Her work indicates that the chemicals undergo numerous exchanges with plant surfaces. It is suspected that the rate of these exchanges is controlled by climate.

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Principle Investigator:

Dr. Keri Hornbuckle
Department of Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY
kchorn@eng.buffalo.edu

 

Sub Projects:

1. CALSPAN Atmospheric Research Testing Chamber Port Details and Ventilation Layout

2. Web Page Development and Technical Communication

3. A Kinetic Model for Air-Leaf Partitioning and Interspecies Variability in Model Testing

Mark Struzinsky, Undergraduate Student, University at Buffalo
mls3@acsu.buffalo.edu

Rebecca Wightman, Undergraduate Student, University at Buffalo
rrw@eng.buffalo.edu

Zunyu Tao, Graduate Student, University at Buffalo
zunyutao@acsu.buffalo.edu

 


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