Antwerp to turn into giant lab for research on fine dust

Summary

Antwerp University will use the city as one big laboratory to determine the effect of fine dust on the population and to experiment with solutions

Four-year research project

Researchers from Antwerp University (UA) are planning a large-scale research project on fine dust in the air and possible solutions to deal with it, reported Gazet van Antwerpen. The project, “Urban resilience against fine dust”, follows up the successful AIRbezen initiative, for which strawberry plants where used to measure the amount of fine dust in several areas.

The new project, which is slated to last four years, involves scientists from various disciplines. Toxicologists, bio engineers and chemists will analyse the particulates, while sociologists will focus on the composition of the population. Architects, meanwhile, will examine whether an alternative urban planning programme can reduce pollution of the air. Researchers have requested the support of the Flemish government’s agency for innovation through science and technology (IWT).

The initiator of the project is UA bio engineer Roeland Samson, who was also the driving force behind the AIRbezen project. “We noticed that Antwerpenaars were very involved [in the previous project],” Samson told De Standaard. “With the new project, we are building on this experience. Antwerp will become one big urban lab.”

By the end of the project, researchers will have created an action plan for local governments. The plan will show which measures have  had the biggest effect on air quality. 

Photo courtesy University of Antwerp

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University of Antwerp

The University of Antwerp is Flanders’ youngest university, but it has quickly made a name for itself in natural and biomedical science research. It is the region’s third-largest university.
Merger - The university was born from the merger of three institutions with roots dating back to 1852.
Ranking - The university placed 13th in the World University Ranking “Top 50 Universities Under 50 years”.
Epidemiology - It was the first university in Flanders to offer a Master’s degree in epidemiology.
2 003

university was founded

13

percentage of international students

9

campuses across the city

  • University of Antwerp
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