Standardisation of black carbon related metrics for air quality and climate protection

The metrics for aerosol light absorption and black carbon (BC) mass concentration in ambient air are important both for their direct role in climate change and as a measure of soot-like combustion by-products associated with health effects. Neither metric has robust standardised methods, traceability, or properly understood uncertainty. This is especially important for users of e.g. filter based photometers, such as aethalometers.

Working with several European institutes, we are participating in a European Partnership on Metrology (EPM) black carbon standardisation project which addresses these metrological issues. This project will evaluate photo-acoustic and photo-thermal interferometry methods as reference methods for light absorption coefficients measurements and will provide guidelines on testing and calibrating black carbon monitors.

This work will lead to the very first European documentary standard on BC-related metrics which will allow insight into the adverse effects of black carbon on the climate, human health and the natural environment.