Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

When chemicals contain several atoms of fluorine, they have unique physical and chemical properties that have led to their use in numerous commercial and industrial applications. However, with inclusion of increasing numbers of fluorine atoms, a molecule loses its environmental reactivity. As a result, many fluorine-containing chemicals are persistent in the environment. In some cases, this persistence is coupled with negative environmental impacts, such as high climate impact in the atmosphere or toxicity in organisms. While fluorine-containing chemicals in the condensed phase have received a lot of interest, the role of fluorine-containing gases has received relatively little attention. This represents a critical gap in our knowledge on the impacts of fluorine-containing chemicals. I propose to work towards this goal by improving measurement approaches for fluorine-containing gases and characterizing their abundance in the real atmosphere, as well as undertaking laboratory experiments to explore the sources and fate of fluorine-containing gases. At the important intersection between persistent contaminant formation and greenhouse gases, our measurements will be used to inform model inputs to better understand the impacts on global contamination and climate. This understanding is crucial to protecting human and environmental health. Data generated from the proposed research will be used by others in the atmospheric chemistry community, including modellers, as well as national and international policymakers. My proposed program will lead to measurements and data that are critical to addressing international environmental problems that have implications for all global citizens, including Canadians.