Professor Roy Harrison OBE FRS

Professor Roy Harrison

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Queen Elizabeth II Birmingham Centenary Professor of Environmental Health

Contact details

Telephone
+44 (0)121 41 43494
Fax
+44 (0)121 41 43709
Email
r.m.harrison@bham.ac.uk
View my research portal
Address
School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston Campus
Birmingham
B15 2TT
United Kingdom

Roy Harrison’s research interests lie in the field of environment and human health. His main specialism is in air pollution, from emissions through atmospheric chemical and physical transformations to exposure and effects on human health. Much of this work is designed to inform the development of policy.

Qualifications

B.Sc. (Class I Honours Chemistry) - University of Birmingham (July 1969)

Ph.D.    (Organic Chemistry) - University of Birmingham (December 1972)

D.Sc. (Environmental Chemistry) - University of Birmingham (July 1989)

Biography

Roy Harrison is Queen Elizabeth II Birmingham Centenary Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Birmingham, UK, and also Distinguished Adjunct Professor at King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia. His research interests are in air pollution, especially airborne particulate matter.  He has also been heavily engaged at the science/policy interface as a member of several government technical advisory groups for the Department of Health and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in the U.K. including past membership of Defra’s Science Advisory Council.  He was a contributor to the World Health Organization Global Air Quality Guidelines and the Guidelines for Quality of Indoor Air. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2004 New Year Honours List and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2017.  He is author of over 660 papers in the peer-reviewed literature, and is listed by Web of Science as a Highly Cited Researcher.

Teaching

Module Lead, Causes & Effects of Air Pollution

Postgraduate supervision

Roy Harrison has carried out pioneering research in: airborne particle concentrations and numbers in the UK; characterisation of emission and impact of ultrafine particulate matter; measurement and modelling of exposure to air toxics and verification by biomarker; high time-resolution chemical fingerprinting of particulate emissions from the steel industry; and the relationship of ultrafine and fine particles in indoor and outdoor respiratory health. Professor Harrison's recent research projects include:

Artificial chemical ageing of ambient atmospheric aerosol
Novel compact after treatment systems for simultaneous reduction of diesel engine NOx, PM, CO and HC emissions
Use of chemical composition and molecular markers to infer the sources of airborne particulate matter
Understanding the fate of traffic-generated particles

Professor Harrison has successfully supervised at least 30 doctoral researchers working in his areas of interest.

Current Students 1st supervisor:
  • Ali Alsanad - long-term influence of ambient air pollution exposure on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) exacerbation risk, disease progression and quality of life
  • Seny Damayanti - Nanoparticles in the Urban Atmosphere
  • Adams Alpha Kamara - In-depth multi-component study of air quality processes

Postgraduate Supervision as 2nd supervisor:

  • Agung Ghani Kramawijaya - Aerosol Particle Source Apportionment in the Arctic Atmosphere Using PMF Analysis and Isotope Analysis 
  • Maryam Makanvand - New Insights into Air Pollution & Health

Past Students as 1st supervisor since 2015:

  • Dewi Komalasari - Influence of Urban Green Space upon Air Pollutant Concentrations
  • Brian Stacey - Characterisation of air quality at a UK airport
  • James Brean - Source apportionment, spatial mapping and exposure assessment for ultrafine (nano) particles in the  atmosphere of Beijing. The influence of urban green space upon air pollutant concentrations
  • Dimitris Bousiotis - Properties of Particulate Air Pollutants
  • Ruixin Xu - Behaviour of Nanoparticles Emitted by Road Traffic
  • Van Tuan Vu - Human Exposure to Aerosol Contaminants in Modern Microenvironments
  • Eunhwa Jang - Source apportionment and reactivity of PAH
  • Zhe Tian - Source apportionment of airborne particulate matter associated with haze in megacities in China
  • Paul Sanderson - Ambient characterisation of nanoparticle exposures
  • Adobi Okam - Personal and indoor exposure to nanoparticles and its relationship with biological markers
  • Lami Karimatu Abdullahi - Measurement and modelling of exposure to air toxics and verification by biomarker
  • Adewale Taiwo - Source apportionment of air pollution
  • Jon Dredge - Aerosol contributions to speleothem chemistry
  • Ian Keyte - Sources and properties of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the UK atmosphere

Research

Air Pollution;  Atmospheric Science;  Environmental Health;  Environmental Chemistry; Aerosol Science

Other activities

RAE/REF panel memberships

  • Member of REF 2014 Panel 7, Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences
  • Member of Research Assessment Exercise 2008 Panel 17 in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences
  • Member of Research Assessment Exercise 2001 Panel 20/21 in Earth and Environmental Sciences

Current Professional Membership:        

  • Fellow, Royal Society, elected 2017
  • Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry
  • Fellow, Royal Meteorological Society
  • Honorary Fellow, Faculty of Public Health of the Royal College of Physicians
  • Honorary Fellow, Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FFOM), Royal College of Physicians
  • Honorary Fellow, Chartered Institute of Environmental Health

 Past Professional Membership:

Honorary Vice-President of Environmental Protection UK (2009-2011)

Current Advisory Committee Membership:

  • Member, DEFRA Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG) (2002 - )
  • Member, Department of Health Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) (1993-2003; 2006 - )
  • Member, Royal Society Global Environmental Research Committee (2018- )
  • Member, Royal Society Hooke Committee (2023 - )
  • Member, Swedish Research Council (Formas) Environment Panel (2023 - )
  • Member, Department of Transport’s ‘College of Experts’ (CoE) (2023 - )
  • Editor-in-Chief, Climate and Atmospheric Science, Nature Publishing Group (2016 - )
  • Associate Editor, Earth Systems & Environment (2016 - ) 
  • Member, DETR/DEFRA Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards (1991-2002); Deputy Chairman (2003 - )  Now COMEAP Sub-Committee on Standards  
  • Editorial Board Member of Particuology, Toxics, AIMS Environmental Science (2013 - ), Research (2018 -) 

Past Advisory Committee Membership:

  • Member, Royal Society Leverhulme Advanced Fellowship Committee (2020 - 2023) 
  • Member, EASAC Working Group on Climate Change and Health (2018 - 2020)
  • Chair, External Advisory Board, NIHR HPRU in Health Impact of Environmental Hazards (2014-2019)
  • Member, International Advisory Committee (IAC), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (2013 - 2022) 
  • Member, International Advisory Board, Exposomics Programme (2012 - 2017)
  • Member, International Advisory Committee of CESAM (University of Aveiro, Portugal) (2011 - 2021)
  • Member, Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) (April 2011 - 2019) 
  • World Health Organisation Adviser on Global Air Quality Guidelines (2005 Update);  Indoor Air Quality Guidelines (2010) and REVIHAAP (advice to EU) (2013).  Expert Advisor on revisions to WHO Air Quality Guidelines (2015)
  • Member, DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), Science Advisory Council (2008–11)
  • Member, NERC UK Government Nanotechnologies Exposure-Sources, Exposure, Pathways, Technologies Task Force (2006-2012)
  • Member, NERC Science and Innovation Strategy Board (2004 - 2008)
  • Member, NERC Peer Review College (2003 - 2007) 
  • Member, DEFRA Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances (2001-2006)
  • Member, MRC Advisory Board (2000 - 2003)
  • Chairman, DETR Airborne Particles Expert Group (1997 - 1999)
  • Member, Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment, Sub-Committee on Diesel Emissions (1995 - 1996)
  • Member, NERC Atmospheric Science & Technology Board (1995 - 1998)
  • Chairman, Department of Environment Quality of Urban Air Review Group (1992 - 1997)
  • Member, Department of Environment Photochemical Oxidants Review Group (1985 - 1997)
  • Joint Executive Editor of Environmental Technology (1980 - 2016) 
  • Member, Department of Health, Health Advisory Group on Chemical Contamination Incidents
  • Chairman, Environmental Assessment Group of EUROTRAC II (a EUREKA project)
  • Member of Editorial Advisory Board, Encyclopaedia of Atmospheric Sciences
  • Editor, Aerosol and Air Quality Research (AAQR) (2015 - 2016)
  • Editorial Board Member of Atmospheric Environment, The Science of the Total Environment (1990 – 2018), Journal of Environmental Monitoring, Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health (AIRQ), Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment, Atmospheric Pollution Research, PeerJ (2012 - 2016)

Haagen-Smit Prize Committee:

  • Member (2000 - 2004;  2010-2016) and Chair (2005 – 2010; 2017) of international selection committee of best papers published in Atmospheric Environment.

Publications

Recent publications

Article

Liu, X, Hadiatullah, H, Zhang, X, Trechera, P, Savadkoohi, M, Garcia-Marlès, M, Reche, C, Pérez, N, Beddows, DCS, Salma, I, Thén, W, Kalkavouras, P, Mihalopoulos, N, Hueglin, C, Green, DC, Tremper, AH, Chazeau, B, Gille, G, Marchand, N, Niemi, JV, Manninen, HE, Portin, H, Zikova, N, Ondracek, J, Norman, M, Gerwig, H, Bastian, S, Merkel, M, Weinhold, K, Casans, A, Casquero-Vera, JA, Gómez-Moreno, FJ, Artíñano, B, Gini, M, Diapouli, E, Crumeyrolle, S, Riffault, V, Petit, JE, Favez, O, Putaud, JP, Santos, SMD, Timonen, H, Aalto, PP, Hussein, T, Lampilahti, J, Hopke, PK, Wiedensohler, A, Harrison, RM, Petäjä, T, Pandolfi, M, Alastuey, A & Querol, X 2023, 'Ambient air particulate total lung deposited surface area (LDSA) levels in urban Europe', Science of the Total Environment, vol. 898, 165466. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165466

Srivastava, D, Li, W, Tong, S, Shi, Z & Harrison, RM 2023, 'Characterization of products formed from the oxidation of toluene and m-xylene with varying NOx and OH exposure', Chemosphere, vol. 334, 139002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139002

Brean, J, Beddows, DCS, Harrison, RM, Song, C, Tunved, P, Ström, J, Krejci, R, Freud, E, Massling, A, Skov, H, Asmi, E, Lupi, A & Dall'osto, M 2023, 'Collective geographical ecoregions and precursor sources driving Arctic new particle formation', Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 2183-2198. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2183-2023

Stacey, B, Harrison, RM & Pope, FD 2023, 'Emissions of ultrafine particles from civil aircraft: dependence upon aircraft type and passenger load', npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, vol. 6, no. 1, 161. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-023-00477-1

Brean, J, Rowell, A, Beddows, D, Shi, Z & Harrison, R 2023, 'Estimates of Future New Particle Formation under Different Emission Scenarios in Beijing', Environmental Science and Technology, vol. 57, no. 12, pp. 4741-4750. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c08348

Aquilina, NJ & Harrison, RM 2023, 'Evaluation of the cancer risk from PAHs by inhalation: Are current methods fit for purpose?', Environment International, vol. 177, 107991. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.107991

Dyson, JE, Whalley, LK, Slater, EJ, Woodward-Massey, R, Ye, C, Lee, JD, Squires, F, Hopkins, JR, Dunmore, RE, Shaw, M, Hamilton, JF, Lewis, AC, Worrall, SD, Bacak, A, Mehra, A, Bannan, TJ, Coe, H, Percival, CJ, Ouyang, B, Hewitt, CN, Jones, RL, Crilley, LR, Kramer, LJ, Acton, WJF, Bloss, WJ, Saksakulkrai, S, Xu, J, Shi, Z, Harrison, RM, Kotthaus, S, Grimmond, S, Sun, Y, Xu, W, Yue, S, Wei, L, Fu, P, Wang, X, Arnold, SR & Heard, DE 2023, 'Impact of HO2 aerosol uptake on radical levels and O3 production during summertime in Beijing', Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, vol. 23, no. 10, pp. 5679-5697. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5679-2023

Matthaios, VN, Harrison, RM, Koutrakis, P & Bloss, WJ 2023, 'In-vehicle exposure to NO2 and PM2.5: A comprehensive assessment of controlling parameters and reduction strategies to minimise personal exposure', Science of the Total Environment, vol. 900, 165537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165537

Damayanti, S, Harrison, R, Pope, F & Beddows, D 2023, 'Limited impact of diesel particle filters on road traffic emissions of ultrafine particles', Environment International, vol. 174, 107888. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.107888

Beddows, DCS, Harrison, RM, Gonet, T, Maher, BA & Odling, N 2023, 'Measurement of road traffic brake and tyre dust emissions using both particle composition and size distribution data', Environmental Pollution, vol. 331, no. 1, 121830. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121830

Harrison, R & Alghamdi, MA 2023, 'Measurement of tyre dust particles in the atmosphere using chemical tracers', Atmospheric Environment, vol. 298, 119607. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2023.119607

Zhong, J, Harrison, RM, Bloss, WJ, Visschedijk, A & Denier van der Gon, HAC 2023, 'Modelling the dispersion of particle number concentrations in the West Midlands, UK using the ADMS-Urban model', Environment International, vol. 181, 108273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.108273

Bousiotis, D, Alconcel, LS, Beddows, D, Harrison, R & Pope, F 2023, 'Monitoring and Apportioning Sources of Indoor Air Quality Using Low-Cost Particulate Matter Sensors', Environment International, vol. 174, 107907. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.107907

Conference contribution

Zhong, J & Harrison, R 2023, Modelling the dispersion of particle number concentrations in the West Midlands, UK. in EGU General Assembly 2023., EGU23-3202, European Geosciences Union, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 24/04/23. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-3202

Bousiotis, D, Alconcel, L-N, Harrison, RM, Beddows, DCS & Pope, F 2023, Monitoring and apportioning sources of outdoor and indoor air quality using low-cost particulate matter sensors. in EGU General Assembly 2023., EGU23-1011, European Geosciences Union, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 24/04/23. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-1011

View all publications in research portal

Expertise

Air pollution; environment and health; toxic chemicals

Alternative contact number available for this expert: contact the press office

Expertise

air pollution; atmospheric chemistry; effects on health; traffic emissions