Dr. Yang Wang:
Contact: yangwang@miami.edu
Quantifying the environmental impact of agricultural plastic mulch films burning
This project studies how burning plastic mulch film, often used on farms to improve crop growth, affects the environment. Many farmers in Florida burn plastic mulch films after harvest due to challenges in waste management. However, the burning process can release pollutants into the air and soil. Our team will simulate this burning in the lab to measure emissions such as smoke particles, gases, and microplastics. We will compare our measurements to environmental standards and suggest cleaner ways to manage this waste. The project combines lab experiments, pollution measurement, and environmental impact assessment to support sustainable farming practices.
Examining the emission of particulate matter generated from Southeast U.S. wetland biomass burning
This research project investigates air pollutant emissions from wetland biomass burning, with a focus on prescribed fires in South Florida, which has a high burning frequency and burned area in the United States. We will measure particulate matter, especially ultrafine aerosols, using real-time instruments and laboratory combustion setups. The project studies how combustion conditions influence particle properties, such as particle size distribution, chemical composition, and the toxicity of the emission.
Testing portable monitors for air quality surveillance using unmanned aerial vehicles
The recent influx of air quality sensors and unmanned aerial vehicles offer new methods for continuous and spatiotemporal air quality surveillance at a low cost. In this project, we plan to test recently developed portable air quality monitors for ultrafine particle concentration measurement and filter sampling. We will calibrate the portable instruments using standardized instruments in the laboratory. The tested instruments will be mounted on a tethered balloon (blimp) for air quality monitoring at the University of Miami.
