Hiukkasfoorumi, Fine Particle Forum

The NANODEVICE project partners and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health invite anyone interested in the topic to the "International Congress on Safety of Engineered Nanoparticles and Nanotechnologies" to be held on 28–31 October 2012 in Helsinki, Finland.

A rise in the atmosphere of aerosols - miniscule particles which include soot, dust and sulphates - has led to more rainfall in certain parts of the world and could provide vital clues for future climate predictions, a scientific study shows.

A deeper understanding of rainfall patterns would aid scientists' ability to predict changing trends in the climate.

Wood-burning stoves are a popular source of heating in many countries. However in recent years there has been much debate about the potential negative health effects associated with wood smoke. A Norwegian researcher has studied the influence of combustion conditions on the emissions and their health effects.

Finnish Beneq named for excellence in cleantech industry with innovative coating technology and green job creation

Increases in air pollution and other particulate matter in the atmosphere can strongly affect cloud development in ways that reduce precipitation in dry regions or seasons, while increasing rain, snowfall and the intensity of severe storms in wet regions or seasons, says a new study by a University of Maryland-led team of researchers.

New information on the role of insoluble dust particles in forming cloud droplets could improve the accuracy of regional climate models, especially in areas of the world that have significant amounts of mineral aerosols in the atmosphere. A more accurate accounting for the role of these particles could also have implications for global climate models.

Climate change may still increase the pollution load

Trends in the concentrations of nearly sixty atmospheric pollutants have been studied using the data collected in Finland at the Pallas-Sodankylä Observatory from 1996 to 2009. Concentrations of pollutants in Lapland are very low, typically about one tenth of the background concentrations in Southern Finland. Many of the concentrations studied remained unchanged over the long term and nearly half showed a decreasing trend.

A new study of dust-like particles of soot in the air — now emerging as the second most important — but previously overlooked — factor in global warming provides fresh evidence that reducing soot emissions from diesel engines and other sources could slow melting of sea ice in the Arctic faster and more economically than any other quick fix, a scientist reported here today.

Sympatec GmbH is going to present their latest assortment of instruments for particle size analysis covering the range from 1 nanometre to more than 20 millimetres.

Long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to physical changes in the brain, as well as learning and memory problems and even depression, new research in mice suggests.