¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä

Of the main routes of exposureÌýto environmental contaminantsÌý(dermal contact, ingestion, inhalation), inhalation is of the most concern to human health because we cannot control what we breathe as well as what we touch or eat. In fact, we are still discovering ways in which the inhalation of air pollutants (especially aerosols) affects health.ÌýWe now know that air pollutionÌýÌýmillions of lives per year. Beyond that, we areÌýcurious about chronic, low-dose exposure levels Ìýthat may be linked to conditions that we are still discovering. For example, exposure to PM2.5 (particulate matter < 2.5 micrometers)Ìýhas been recentlyÌýtiedÌýto mental health issues, such asÌýÌý²¹²Ô»åÌý.Ìý

We are interested in using engineering concepts to characterize emissions of aerosols (small particle or droplets suspended in air)Ìýfrom everyday sources and their subsequent transformations indoors and outdoors. These measurements can aid in developing tools and strategies to control emissions and minimize exposures,Ìýespecially to vulnerable populations—such as children and the elderly,Ìýand incidentally exposed populations (i.e., bystanders of a certain activity).ÌýApplications of our research includeÌýevaluating physical and chemical transformations of aerosols indoors and outdoors andÌýassessing emissions to informÌý"safer by design" consumer products. Our mission is to perform research that will lead to positive impact in human health and the environment.Ìý

Main research topics

• Formation, transport, and fate of aerosols, ranging from ultrafine (<100 nm), fine (< 2.5 µm), to coarse (>2.5 µm).
• Physical and chemical characterization of particulate matter using single-particle techniques, such as electron microscopy.
• EvaluationÌýand use ofÌýlow-cost sensors for air pollution measurements indoors and outdoors.
• AssessmentÌýand minimization ofÌýpeople's exposure to environmental contaminants.
• Ambient and source aerosol sampling and characterization.

Our work includes experimental measurements in the following themes:

• Controlled laboratory studies in chambers
• Collaborative field studies in test houses
• Field studies in real indoor environments
• Personal exposure studies

Some of our Laboratory Instrumentation includes:

• TSI Scanning Mobility Particle SizerÌý(SMPS) systems, including a 1-nm SMPS, nano DMA, and long DMA.
• TSI Nanoscan portable SMPS system + Optical Particle Sizer (OPS) for size distributions 12 - 10,000 nm.
• Kanomax Aerosol Particle Mass Analyzer.
• TSI laser photometer.
• Aethlabs 5-wavelength aethalometers.
• Thermodenuder.
• Atomizers and other aerosol generators.
• Table-top chambers.
• A 38 cubic meterÌýaerosol emissions evaluation room, separateÌýfrom the building's HVAC system, with a independent 30 ACH flushing system.
• Access to GC-MS, ICP-MS, transmission and scanningÌýelectron microscopy, and other shared facilities.

Ongoing projects

Assessing the Transport of Wildfire-Generated Particulate Matter Into Homes and Developing Practical Interventions to Reduce Human Exposure (WildPM)

Funding
, College of Engineering DLA and SPUR undergraduate research programs.

Project members
Rileigh Robertson (PhD student), Henrik Helmig (undergraduate student), Smit Ajmera (MS student), Surya Goda (MS student), Liora Mael (postdoctoral associate), Avery Hatch (graduate student), Marina Vance.

WildPM project description page

Physical transformations of aerosols after transport between indoor and outdoor environments

Funding
NSF CAREER Award, College of Engineering DLA and SPUR undergraduate research programs.

Project members
Sofie Schwink (PhD student), Ethan Richter (undergraduate student), Max Schmid (undergraduate student), Tony Hao (undergraduate student), Prof. Marina Vance.

Project Description
The goal of this project is to better understand how aerosol particles transform as they move between indoor and outdoor environments and elucidate the implications of this process on aerosol size distributions, effective density, and ability to form secondary organic aerosols (SOA) from everyday indoor sources, such as personal care products and cleaning products.

Assessment of Particulate Matter Concentrations in Java, Indonesia Using Low-Cost Fixed and Mobile Sensors: Implications for Local Air Quality Monitoring

Funding
Fulbright US Scholar

Project member
Marina Vance

Local Host
Prof. Rizaldi Boer, IPB University, Indonesia

Project description
This project funded Prof. Vance's sabbatical research experience for nine months at IPB University in Bogor, Indonesia (2023 - 2024).Ìý

Chemical Assessment of Surfaces and Air (CASA)

Funding
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, College of Engineering DLA and SPUR undergraduate research programs.

Project members
Liora Mael (postdoctoral associate), Andrew Martin (MS student), Sofie Schwink (PhD student), Max Schmid (undergraduate student), Thomas Dunnington (undergraduate student), Nicholas Gotlib (undergraduate student), Marina Vance, plus many colleagues from other institutions.

Project description
CASA was a large-scale, collaborative indoor chemistry field campaign that took place in Spring 2022. CASA was led by Prof. Delphine Farmer (CSU) and Prof. Marina Vance at the NIST net-zero energy residential test facility, in Gaithersburg, MD. Our host at NIST was Dr. Dustin Poppendieck and the team included an array of researchers, including 14 research groups from 12 different universities.

Publication highlights
Farmer et al. (2025)

IndoorChem: AÌýcommunity of researchers in the chemistry of indoor environments

Funding
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Project members
Prof. Marina Vance (¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder), Prof. Delphine Farmer (CSU).

Completed Projects

Impacts of aging and relative humidity on properties of biomass burning smoke particles

Funding
NSF, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, College of Engineering DLA and SPUR undergraduate research programs.

Project members
Sofie Schwink (PhD student), Liora Mael (postdoctoral associate), Thomas Dunnington (undergraduate researcher), Max Schmid (undergraduate researcher), Nicholas Gotlib (undergraduate researcher), Jonathan Silberstein (PhD student, Hannigan group), Andrew Heck (undergraduate researcher, Hannigan group), Prof. Mike Hannigan (¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder), Prof. Marina E. Vance (¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder).

Project description
Controlled chamber measurements of particle size distributions, density, and aerosol liquid water content from aged and fresh smoke at different relative humidity levels.

Publication highlights
Schwink et al. (2025)

Sustained Air Quality Impacts of the Marshall Fire in Boulder County

Funding
, ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder CIRES.

Project members
Prof. Joost De Gouw (Principal Investigator, ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder), Prof. Christine Wiedinmyer (¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder), Prof. Mike Hannigan (¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder), Prof. Marina Vance, Prof. Colleen Reid (¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder), and a large team of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.

Project description
This project was a rapid response to investigate the effects of the wildfire in the affected community and in the indoor air quality of buildings influenced by the wildfire plume.

Publication highlights
Silberstein et al. (2023)
Dresser et al. (2024)

This project was a recipient of the

Aerosol generation from playing band instruments and risk of infectious disease transmission

Funding
National Federation of High School Associations

Project members
Prof. Shelly Miller (Principal Investigator, ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder), Prof. Marina Vance, Prof. Jean Hertzberg, Prof. Darin Toohey (¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder), Prof. Jelena Srebric (University of Maryland), Prof. Don Milton (University of Maryland), Tehya Stockman (PhD student, Miller group), Abhishek Kumar (graduate student, Hertzberg group), Lingzhe Wang (Srebric grou), and a team of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.

Project description
This project investigated the emission of respiratory aerosols from playing a variety of musical instruments, singing, and performance.

Publication highlights
Stockman et al. (2021)
Wang et al. (2022)

In the news
Aerosol research instrumental in getting musicians back to playing safely

Simple safety measures reduce musical COVID-19 transmission

House Observations of Microbial and Environmental Chemistry (HOMEChem)

Funding
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Project members
Sameer Patel (postdoctoral associate), Sumit Sankhyan (MS/PhD student), Prof. Marina Vance, plus many colleagues from other institutions.

Project description
HOMEChem was the largest indoor chemistry field campaign to date, led by Prof. Marina Vance and Prof. Delphine Farmer (CSU) at the UTest House at UT Austin in Summer 2018. Our local host was Prof. Atila Novoselac from UT Austin and the team included over 60 researchers from over 20 research groups in 13 universities plus several governmental and industrial partners.

Publication highlights
Farmer et al. (2019)
Patel et al. (2020)
Sankhyan et al. (2021)

In the news

Performance of mask filter materials for filtration and inhalation resistance

Funding
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

Project members
Sumit Sankhyan (PhD student), Sameer Patel (postdoctoral associate), Hannah Teed (undergraduate student), Prof. Marina Vance (¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder), Karen N. Heinselman (NREL), Peter N. Ciesielski (NREL), Teresa Barnes (NREL), Michael E. Himmel (NREL)

Project description
Improving our understanding of different materials efficiencies to filter airborne particles of sizes of interest to virus transmission for face mask applications.

Publication highlight
Sankhyan et al. (2021)

In the news
Don’t throw that cloth mask away yet—it still works

Photovoltaic panel soiling and weathering

Funding
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

Project members
Sarah Toth (PhD student), Brittany Nixon (MS student), Prof. Mike Hannigan (¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder), Prof. Marina Vance (¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder), Michael Deceglie (NREL)

Project description
This project investigated the effects of particulate matter (PM) accumulation on the efficiency of PV panels.

Publication highlights
Toth et al. (2019) Ìý
Toth et al. (2020)

In the news

Home sensors: Evaluating the use of low-cost particulate matter sensors in homes

Funding
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, College of Engineering DLA and SPUR undergraduate research programs.

Project members
Sumit Sankhyan (MS/PhD student), Julia Witteman (undergraduate student), Sameer Patel (postdoctoral associate), Steven Coyan (undergraduate student), Prof. Marina Vance (¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder)

Project description
Field measurements in four different homes including the use of a portable air cleaner in the kitchen and in the bedroom.

Publication highlight
Sankhyan et al. (2022)

Aerosol emissions from cooking oils

Funding
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, College of Engineering Dean's Innovation Research Assistantship, College of Engineering DLA and SPUR undergraduate research programs.

Project members
Sumit Sankhyan (PhD student), Kayley Zabinski (undergraduate researcher), ÌýSteven Coyan (undergraduate researcher), Sameer Patel (postdoctoral associate), Prof. Rachel E. O'Brien (University of Michigan), Prof. Marina E. Vance (¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder).Ìý

Project description
Controlled laboratory measurements of particle size distributions and volatility from a variety of cooking oils at multiple cooking temperatures.

Publication highlight
Sankhyan et al. (2022)

Past projects (before joining ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder)

• Emissions of ultrafineÌýaerosols .
• : The Virginia Tech National Center for Earth and Environmental Nanotechnology Infrastructure (project ongoing, my participation ended in 2016).
• Characterization of in the city of Shanghai, China (2014 - 2016).
• Keeping track of nanotechnology in the real world: Redeveloping the Wilson Center’s Ìý(2013 - 2015).
• Children's exposure to silver nanoparticles in ÌýÌý(2010Ìý- 2012).
• Consumer exposure to silver nanoparticles in Ìý(2008 - 2012).
• : Atmospheric Studies in the US-Mexico Border Region (2010).
• Indoor air quality Ìý(2007 - 2008).
• Development of methods for sampling and characterizing odorous air samples (2003Ìý- 2008).
• and impact assessment of Ìý(2003 - 2008).