Research on aerosol science, toxicological impacts of airborne particles on human health, risk assessment of air quality on human health, research and technology development on the implications of climate change for human health and society.
Researchers at the Health and Environments Research Centre (HERC) Laboratory collaborate with other investigators and industrial partners locally and globally, to examine the sources, fate, transport and metabolism of aerosols of health significance in human environments and ecosystems. Key considerations include the associated toxicological mechanisms and pathways of host defense, tissue injury and repair, and other systems-related responses in relation to such exposures; the identification of new clinically significant markers of environmental and occupational toxicology and pathogenesis; the estimation of the population health burden of such exposures on the health of Canadians and the global community; and the development of new environmental public health policy and community health planning tools. Our areas of expertise include toxicology, environmental and occupational health, environmental chemistry, atmospheric science, and climate change.
Our facilities are linked to the Canadian Aerosol Research Network (CARN), with the global purpose of enabling researchers, consultants, and governmental officials to conduct environmental and occupational health and atmospheric science research in accordance with the Canadian Aerosol Research Network user principles and definitions.
Indoor and outdoor air quality assessment, characterization of environmental contaminants in air, water and soil, characterization of fine particulate matter and aerosol composition, environmental sampling method development, worksite exposure investigations, analysis of trace metals in environmental samples and filter weighing and sample collection preparation, exposure assessment support to epidemiological and occupational hygiene studies, freely accessible information and data. We provide a repository of GEOS-Chem input files (such as emission and metfields), and data processed from meteorological input from the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) of the NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office and the MERRA reanalysis.
We ask users to familiarize themselves with corresponding publications and communicate with the research contact listed to ensure the most up-to-date and appropriate use of information.
- Aerospace and satellites
- Agriculture, animal science and food
- Clean technology
- Environmental technologies and related services
- Healthcare and social services
- Information and communication technologies and media
- Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
- Ocean industries
- Policy and governance
Specialized labs and equipment
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Specialized lab |
Equipment |
Function |
|---|---|---|
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Analytical Chemistry Suite |
Thermo Scientific iCAP Q ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer) |
Trace elemental analysis |
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PerkinElmer Clarus ® SQ 8 GC-MS/TD (Thermo-Desorption Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometer) |
Trace organic and inorganic compound analysis |
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Thermo Scientific Exactive Plus Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer |
Identify and quantify chemicals in complex matrices |
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Thermo Scientific ISQ GC-MS (Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometer) |
Trace organic compound analysis |
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Thermo Scientific Dionex ICS-5000 Reagent-Free HPIC (High Pressure Ion Chromatography) System |
Simultaneous anion and cation analysis |
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Thermo Scientific Dionex ASE 350 Accelerated Solvent Extractor |
Extracts solids and semisolid samples for chemical analysis |
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Thermo Scientific Spectra HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography System) |
Quantify organic and inorganic compounds with chemical speciation |
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Sunset Laboratory Semi-Continuous OCEC Carbon Aerosol Analyzer (Sunset OCEC) |
OCEC=Organic Carbon/Elemental Carbon. Quantifies organic and elemental carbon in aerosol. |
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TSI 3081/3085//3775 Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer |
Continuous measurements of the size distribution and number concentration of submicron particles |
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Sartorius SE-2-F Microbalance and Terra Universal Cleanroom |
High-precision, seven-digit microbalance in clean room |
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CEM Discover SP-D microwave digester |
Fast and efficient sample digestion for metal analysis |
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Environmental analytical chemistry facilities for high-precision analyses of environmental contaminants' Environmental Monitoring Suite |
Aerodyne Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor |
Real-time quantification of inorganic and organic components in submicron particles |
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CES Xact 625 ambient metals monitor |
Near real-time trace elemental analysis |
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Thermo Scientific 5012 Multi-Angle Absorption Photometer for Real-time Black Carbon Monitoring |
Continuous measurement of black carbon |
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Thermo Scientific 5014i Beta Continuous Ambient Particulate Monitor |
Continuous measurement of PM10, PM2.5, PM1, and total suspended particles |
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Thermo Scientific 42i NO-NO2-NOx (nitrogen oxide) Analyzer |
Continuous measurement of oxides of nitrogen levels |
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Thermo Scientific 48i-TLE Enhanced Trace Level CO (carbon monoxide) Analyzer |
Continuous measurements carbon monoxide |
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Recordum Airpointers |
Real-time measurements of O3, CO, SO2, H2S, NOx, and PM2.5 and weather metrics |
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Thermo Scientific Partisol 2300 Speciation Sampler |
Filter-based ambient particulate sampling of PM2.5 and PM10 |
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Thermo Scientific Partisol Plus 2025 Sequential Air Sampler |
Filter-based ambient particulate sampling of PM2.5 and PM10 |
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TSI Ultrafine Particle Monitor 3031 |
Continuous measurements of the size, distribution and number concentration of ultrafine particles |
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DustTrak Drx Aerosol Monitor 8533 |
Continuous measurements of PM1, PM2.5, PM4, PM10, and total PM fractions |
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TSI Q-Trak Indoor Air Quality Monitor 7575 |
Measures CO2, CO, temperature, and humidity |
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TSI Condensation Particle Counter 3007 |
Continuous measurements of submicron particle number concentrations |
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Toxicology Suite |
Nanoparticle generating unit |
In vitro toxicity testing system |
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Cell culturing unit |
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Remote Sensing Computing Suite (PCS) - Physics and Atmospheric Sciences
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High Powered Computing Suite PE R410 Head Node, dual E5520, 16GB 2*80GB, RPS |
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Dell Precision T5500 Quad Core Xeon E55062 Workstations + Office |
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Remote Sensing Data Repository |
GEOS-Chem input data: We provide a repository of GEOS-Cheminput files (emission, metfields, etc.), which can be downloaded via anonymous FTP from ftp://rain.ucis.dal.ca. Data processed from meteorological input from the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) of the NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office and the MERRA reanalysis. |
Private and public sector research partners
- University of Toronto
- University of British Columbia
- Health Canada
- University of Calgary
- University of Iowa (USA)
- National Research Foundation of Korea
- Korea Institute of Toxicology
- Mount Allison University
- Manipal University/ Faculty of Medicine/ India
- Health Effects Institute (USA)
- The Lung Association of Nova Scotia
- Canadian Cancer Society (PEI Division)
- Canadian Institutes for Health Research
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
- Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute
- National Research Council Canada