A Tantalizing Glimpse into the Lives and Roles of Atmospheric Organic Particles
Channel: University of Vermont
Date: 2016-06-30

Organic particles (composed of molecules made up of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen) are ubiquitous in our atmosphere, but we still know little about their origins, chemistry, and fate in the atmosphere. Professor Petrucci presents a brief overview of the roles played by organic particles in global health and climate. He discusses the analytical challenges that they present, the unique instrumental methods developed at UVM that allowed us to debunk commonly held misconceptions, and will conclude by identifying some remaining challenges presented by organic particles. 

Professor Petrucci received his PhD from the University of Florida.  He began his career as a research scientist of the European Commission in Ispra, Italy before joining the UVM Chemistry Department in 2000.  Professor Petrucci’s research interests lie in the general field of aerosol analysis. His current focus is on the simultaneous physical and chemical characterization of individual particles, leading to the rapid, on-line characterization of the aerosol.