Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche -
Istituto Inquinamento Atmosferico, Rome, Italy:

The Institute for Atmospheric Pollution, of the National Research Council (CNR), founded in 1968, is currently under the control of the National Consultation Committee for Science and Technology of the Environment. The staff consists of 14 researchers, 20 technicians, 2 administration managers and approx. 10 scholarship holders from Italy and other countries. They are distributed among the three centres:
· Main Centre: Area della Ricerca di Roma, Monterotondo Stazione (Roma);
· A.C.V. Sector (Accreditation, Certification, Evaluation): Via Tiburtina, Roma;
· L.A.R.A. Project (Airborne Laboratory for Environmental Research): Via Monte D'oro, Pomezia (Roma).
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
The aim of the research is to study the main processes responsible for emission, formation, transformation, transport and deposition of atmospheric pollutants and to develop analytical methodologies including sampling and analysis of both organic and inorganic components. Particular attention is given to the organic compounds in gaseous and condensed phases, to compounds containing nitrogen, and those species that determine the oxidizing properties of the atmosphere. Other areas of research are: the dispersive properties of the atmosphere, the formation processes of photochemical oxidizers, and the emission and formation of organic micropollutants produced by factories, waste treatment plants and incinerators.
The partner's function in this project is to provide information on air quality at the selected sites. The contractor will provide passive samplers for installation at sites and will perform analysis to provide data on pollutant levels. Another role is to perform laboratory artificial ageing experiments on paint tempera samples and coated piezoelectric quartz crystals under controlled ageing regimes.