Air pollution caused by human activities can adversely affect human health. People spend 80–90% of their time indoors and often, the concentration of air pollutants is higher indoors than outdoors. Thus, the possible adverse health effects associated with air pollution can be dominated by indoor air pollution. Air pollutants also cause material damage to equipment and artifacts, and contaminate manufacturing processes. The importance of the indoor environment has traditionally been undervalued in society. |
My long-term research goals are to better understand the relationship between the indoor environment and human health. In particular, my research objectives are to engineer indoor environments for health by (1) investigating sources of indoor air contaminants, including particulate matter, bioaerosols, combustion by-products, and air toxins, (2) assessing human exposure to air pollutants, and (3) characterizing indoor air pollutant control technologies. |
To date my research has been supported by the U.S. EPA both federally and locally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Health, the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, non-profit organizations and industry.
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- Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation for inactivating airborne bacteria and fungi
- Filtration of airborne particulate matter
- Source apportionment of exposure and air pollutant concentrations
- Penetration, size and chemistry of ultrafine particles from the outdoors into buildings
- Manufacturing of inhalable drug particles
- Community-based environmental health assessment of housing conditions in immigrant populations