Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker
Air Chemistry of People

Vortrag (Präsenzveranstaltung)

Air Chemistry of People

Prof. Dr. Jonathan Williams

Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie

Vortrag im Rahmen des MChG-Kolloquiums

———

Abstract



Human beings emit a wide variety of trace gases into the air. These chemicals can be emitted directly on our breath and from reactions of our skin with ozone. These continuous chemical broadcasts involve several hundred volatile organic compounds which can be measured with online mass spectrometry. In this presentation, it will be shown that data from climate chambers, a football match and a cinema can be used to assess human chemical emissions, including behavioral and emotional responses in crowds. The measured chemical signals have been shown to be reproducible and even applicable to the rating of films. We now spend around 90% of our lives inside, and this talk will show that people are potent mobile sources of chemicals in the indoor environment.







Biosketch



Prof. Jonathan Williams is an atmospheric chemist. He completed his BSc and Ph.D. at the University of East Anglia, England and after working as a postdoctoral researcher at the NOAA Aeronomy laboratory in Boulder, USA, he became a research group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany. His primary research focus is the chemistry of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the atmosphere and he has participated in many international field campaigns on aircraft, ships and at ground stations. A particular interest has been the emissions and chemistry of the Amazon rainforest. He is editor on several international journals, co-author of the textbook “The Atmospheric Chemist´s Companion” and currently adjunct Professor at the Cyprus Institute, in Cyprus. Recently Prof. Williams has begun researching the VOC emitted by people and the impact of these emissions on indoor chemistry. This later work was awarded the Ig-Nobel prize for Chemistry in 2021.

Dienstag, 16. Juli 2024

15:15 – 16:15

Dienstag, 16. Juli 2024

15:15 – 16:15