Unit of Earth Sciences
Department of Geosciences | University of Fribourg
Environmental Mineralogy
Fine natural (mineral) and anthropogenic
particles suspended in the atmosphere have a large, still poorly known, impact
on climate. Human health is also affected by particles. Our
methodology is based on sampling with impactors or electrostatic sampler and analysis with electron microscopy based single particle analysis.
In collaboration with Prof. Weber’s
group at the FH Düsseldorf and with Dr. Tullio Ricci at INGV
in Rome we have several projects dealing with
the emission and impact of
volcanic aerosols.
Together with the Trinational aerosol research network and
with the start-up company Particle
Vision we are also involved in projects
dealing with the emission,
dispersion and the toxicity
of natural and anthropogenic nanoparticles
Iron oxide particle sampled adjacent to a
rail way track.
The shape and morphology suggests, that it was emitted
as a
liquid droplet formed by the friction between
wheel and rail.
