Air Pollution Research Center
At the Forefront of Air Pollution Research and Atmospheric Science
It is well-known that there are many sources - cars, trucks, airplanes, farms, dairies, factories - of chemical air pollutants in Southern California.
But what exactly are those chemicals? How do those pollutants react once they enter the atmosphere? And, most importantly, how do those chemicals affect other things in the environment, including people and agriculture?
UCR's Air Pollution Research Center is a world leader in finding answers to those questions that are vital to public health.
Modeling the Formation of Atmospheric Pollution
UCR's Air Pollution Research Center has conducted basic and applied air pollution research since its creation by the UC Board of Regents in 1961.
Researchers use world-class facilities to remain at the forefront of pollution research, a field that has far-ranging implications for public health and public policy, not just in Southern California, but across the nation and around the world.
The center is internationally known for its work in determining the sources of smog- the persistent form of air pollution that has plagued the Southern California basin for more than 50 years. Researchers at the center have determined how smog-forming chemicals react with one another, how they hurt both human lungs and crops, and how long such harmful compounds remain in the air.
With more than 30 years of experience using large-volume gas chambers to conduct sophisticated experiments, the center has drawn acclaim as a world leader in air pollution studies from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Air Resources Board and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
