Case Studies

Trace amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde, are released into the environment by the manufacture of housing materials such as furnishings, woodbased products, plastics and varnishes and also from the combustion of ethanol added to petrol to reduce carbon monoxide. Traces of formaldehyde can make pe...

Traces of man-made and naturally occurring volatile organic compounds (VOC) and oxygenated VOCs such as methanol or acetone react with other atmospheric trace gases to create ozone and aerosols, which impact on air quality and climate. Sources of these include fossil fuel and biomass burning, and the use of solvents in paints a...

Mercury is a ubiquitous and naturally occurring metal which can be released into the environment through natural processes, but a major source is from human activities such as mining or the use of fossil fuels. Highly toxic in all its forms, mercury compounds can be spread through the air and accumulate in both terrestrial and ...

Highly toxic mercury affects the immune system and damages the nervous system. Produced naturally by volcanoes, and forest fires, it is also released during burning fossil fuels and from broken energy saving fluorescent lamps. Once in the atmosphere it bioaccumulates into fish and seafood. For these reasons EU Directives classi...

Halogenated gases such as hydrofluorocarbons and chlorine containing compounds, have Global Warming Potentials thousands of times greater than that of carbon dioxide, and can remain in the air for decades to centuries, so even trace amounts can damage the environment. European regulations aim to considerably cut halogenated gas...

When released, ammonia reacts with atmospheric acids to form harmful particles which damage the environment, ecosystems and human health. To combat this, the EU National Emission Ceilings Directive has set emissions reduction goals, requiring member states to track ammonia emissions reductions via a network of monitors. These m...