What's New

Publications

"An inexpensive light-scattering particle monitor: chamber and field validations with woodsmoke"(Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 2007, 1099-1106 doi: 39/b709329m).
"Speciation of ambient fine organic carbon particles and source apportionment of PM2.5 in Indian cities,"Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 2007, 112, D15303, doi:10.1029/2007JD008386.

Talks

Integrated & Real-time PM2.5 Concentrations in Kitchens, Bedrooms, and Outdoors in Highland Guatemala Using both Gravimetric and UCB Particle Monitor
Partnership for Clean Indoor Air: Indoor Air Pollution Monitoring
Partnership for Clean Indoor Air: Indoor PM2.5 and CO Concentrations Reduction from Improved Stoves Installation in Rural Northwest Yunnan Province, China
Current Source Apportionment Studies in ASIA: An Overview

Poster Presentations

Size Distributed Chemical Composition of Fine Particles Emitted from Burning Asian Coal

Dr. Chowdhury has left his position as a Post Doctoral Researcher at the University of California at Berkeley to start as an Assistant Professor at San Diego State University from August 2007

Teaching

PH 632: Air Quality

Spring 2008
(Schedule Number: 26445 Units: 3)
INSTRUCTOR: Zohir Chowdhury, Ph.D. (zohir.chowdhury@sdsu.edu)
Phone: 619-594-8085
Office: Room 171 Hardy Memorial Tower
OFFICE HOURS:
Tuesday 2:00-3:00 PM
Wednesday 4:00- 5:00 PM
or schedule appointment by email
LOCATION: 122 Hapner Hall
DATE AND TIME: Wednesday, 1:00-3:40 PM

Description

The quality of the air we breathe is of vital importance and has an obvious impact on human health. Air quality is vastly different depending on whether it is indoor or outdoor air, in the developed or the developing world. This course will introduce students to concepts of criteria air pollutants and their health effects, sources and control of pollution with a focus on global and US-Mexico border air pollution issues. To further understand real life air pollution problems, an air pollution sampling study in San Diego will be required applying sampling techniques learned during class activities. Environmental justice case studies, focusing on US-Mexico border area, will highlight not only human exposure to air pollutants but also community efforts to educate and hopefully mitigate these exposures. One field trip may be arranged.

Learning Objectives

Identify the direct and indirect human, ecological, and safety effects of major air pollutants
Recognize types and properties of gaseous and particulate pollutants in the ambient air and their interactions in the atmosphere; and interpret the research project in light of this knowledge
Define international, federal and state regulatory programs, guidelines, and authorities that control air pollution health issues and apply relevant guidelines in class project
Describe approaches for assessing, preventing, and controlling air pollutant emissions from stationary, mobile, and area sources of air pollution; and possibly link this to the research project
Understand the role of meteorological factors on dispersion and transportation of air pollutants and apply this understanding in the research project and presentation.
Plan, design and conduct air pollution sampling study with proper QA/QC procedure
Analyze air pollution data and compute pollutant concentrations and doses
Communicate air pollution results to an audience

Syllabus
Course Materials from SDSU Blackboard
SDSU Class Schedule