Post-doc position on Atmospheric Aerosol and related Health Effects
Closing date: 10th December 2018
Metal-Organic Complexes in Atmospheric Aerosol: formation processes,
properties, and health impacts (MOCAA)
The project aims at investigating how organic compounds in atmospheric
aerosol can coordinate with, and therefore increase the solubility of,
metals in the aerosol itself or in atmospheric aqueous environments
(e.g. cloud and fog droplets, or deliquescent aerosol at high relative
humidity), and to study the effects of such mechanism on public health
in an urban environment. The objectives will be pursued using an
integrated approach combining field measurements, laboratory
experiments, and toxicity tests. Aerosols from the urban area of Padova
(Italy) within the Po Valley will be sampled, analysed to quantify
metal-organic complexes and used in toxicity tests. Smog chambers will
be used to realistically reproduce the gas-particle-droplet interaction
in atmospheric conditions. Toxicity mechanisms will be investigated in
vitro using human pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells on both
atmospheric and synthetic aerosol to relate particle toxicity to the
presence of metal-ligand complexes.
The research activity will mainly focus on planning and conduction of
experiments in smog chambers to study the formation of metal-ligand
complexes in atmospheric aerosol, to analyse aerosol samples for the
determination of metal-ligand complexes and to evaluate aerosol toxicity
in collaboration with the Department of cardiac, thoracic, vascular and
public health sciences. It is requested a good knowledge of the English
language, attitude to work in team, to collaborate with foreign research
groups and the availability to conduct part of the research abroad (up
to one month). Experience in atmospheric aerosol characterization or
study of equilibria in solutions will constitute preferential titles for
the selection.
For full consideration, interested applicants should submit their
application at
For informal enquiries and language assistance please write to Dr Chiara
Giorio,
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