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Airport study is breath of fresh air

Engineers from the Faculty of Engineering are working with Newcastle International Airport to see exactly how the exhaust from jet engines influences the air quality in surrounding communities. State-of-the-art monitoring equipment has been positioned on the airfield to continuously check a number of factors including the levels of nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide and oxygen.

The research will contribute to a better understanding of aircraft emissions and their impact on air quality at medium-sized airports in particular. It is hoped the joint  research will provide an insight into what contributes to airborne pollution and allow new ways of controlling and dispersing it.  Dr Dixon-Hardy said; “We’ve been monitoring aircraft emissions at a location very close to Newcastle’s runway using state-of-the- art equipment. Results so far indicate that prevailing wind conditions dominate the dispersal of aircraft emissions and show that Newcastle Airport does not have a significant impact on local air quality.

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