George Wandera KisimbiriPhD student

About me

PhD researcher interested in climate and air quality. I am particularly interested in the atmospheric chemistry of air pollutants from vehicular non-exhaust emissions, with a focus in brake wear-derived emissions. While the particulate emissions from automotive brake wear have been studied and well understood, their gaseous counterparts remain woefully understudied; hence, the understanding of their composition, atmospheric transformations, fate, and impacts is still far from complete. To address this challenge, I use experimental approaches to study brake wear-derived gaseous emissions, e.g., studies on how secondary organic aerosols (SOA) are formed from oxidation of gaseous precursors. Given the profound effects of vehicular road traffic emissions on climate, air quality, and human health, my research aims to provide insights into these impacts.

I utilise a pin-on-disc Tribometer to simulate the real-world braking process under a controlled laboratory setup. State-of-the-art online mass spectrometry tools like the high-resolution time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-CIMS) and a proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) chemically characterise compounds from brake wear at a molecular level. The potential aerosol mass (PAM) oxidation flow reactor ages the gaseous emissions while the OPC and SMPS determine the size distribution of secondary particles.

I have expertise in utilising synchrotron-based techniques (APXPS and NEXAFS) to study the surface chemistry of atmospheric relevant aerosol particles.

I am a member of the Swedish Institute Network for Global Professionals (SINFGL).