Ricardo Energy & Environment has said that its air quality specialists are supporting the airport with the implementation of its new detection system, which provides real-time measurement of the proportion of black carbon produced by combustion.
The project is something of a trailblazer outside the UK government's monitoring networks, and it is hoped that it will provide a greater depth of understanding for researchers and policy makers to develop the best informed policies for air quality control across London and the wider surrounding area.
According to Ricardo, black carbon contributes to atmospheric warming by reducing albedo (the ability of the earth to reflect sunlight) when it deposits on snow and ice.
However, there are currently no UK or European legal limits or recommended targets to regulate concentrations of black carbon and only 13 air quality monitoring stations in the UK government's network actually measure the pollutant.
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Airborne black carbon is being monitored at Heathrow airport in an effort to enhance the understanding of atmospheric particulate matter - and to help guide air quality policy in the region.
