Case Studies

Nanotechnology is a promising enabling technology, expected to give rise to new solutions and markets in many areas of research and industry. Nanoparticles are highly functional particles ranging in size from between 1 and 100 nanometres, with properties largely determined by a reactive outer layer. Already a €20BN global indus...

Observations of the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and land from space are vital for climate studies. These are built into models used by climatologists to understand and predict how weather patterns are changing. International initiatives such as the Quality Assurance Framework for Earth Observation (QA4EO) are increasing this com...

In our cities, small airborne soot particles form a serious health risk, generating an estimated 492,000 premature deaths per year from respiratory and cardiovascular problems in Europe. The EU’s Air Quality Directive requires Member States to limit exposure to these particles, many of which are produced by vehicle engines. Cit...

Intensive farming practices, relating to livestock, such as slurry spreading or maintaining herds indoors, are major contributors to ammonia emissions. When released, ammonia can deposit on and damage ecosystems and it can also react with atmospheric gas to produce fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that is hazardous to our health...

Accidental releases of natural gas from leaky plant equipment wastes resources and contributes to global warming, as its main constituent, methane is a greenhouse gas. Although less persistent in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, methane has much greater heat-trapping effects. The oil and gas sector is a significant source o...

Monitoring the long-term strength of large structures used in the nuclear power industry is essential to safeguard the environment from radioactive contamination. Dykes formed of natural materials such as gravel, clay, or sandy soil provide the constraining banks of major rivers supplying water cooling to nuclear power plant. T...