PhD Thesis Defence by Anna Canals Angerri

The predoctoral researcher Anna Canals Angerri, from the EGAR group, will defend her thesis on 25th February at 10:30h in Aula Magna Enric Casassas (Facultat de Química i Física, Universitat de Barcelona)

Directors: Xavier Querol and Barend L. van Drooge

Thesis Committee: Ana Maria Sánchez de la Campa Verdona, Eduardo Yubero Funes and Joel Sánchez Piñero

Abstract:
The thesis advocates for integrating local and regional abatement strategies targeting key PM precursors (SO2, NOX, NH3, VOCs, and O3), as secondary aerosols remain a major challenge. For cities such as Barcelona, actions should focus on traffic and industrial emissions; for smaller towns like Manlleu, on agricultural and domestic combustion; and for megacities like Wuhan, on industrial processes. Continuous monitoring is essential to ensure compliance with the new EU Ambient Air Quality Directive (2024/2881).
By combining long-term trend analysis with high-resolution source apportionment, this research provides a comprehensive understanding of PM dynamics across diverse environments. The results underscore that air quality management must be site-specific, addressing local and regional processes to achieve sustainable reductions in PM and its health impacts.