Fight Against Global Air Pollution

The Clean Air Technologies Centre (CATCE) is a collaboration between the university and Bolton company Radic8 (a leading provider of clean air technologies). A nine-foot-tall “pollution tower” supplied by Radic8 is set to be installed in the grounds of the university in the autumn. It will trap ultra-fine particulate matter and filter toxic gases such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Ultra-fine particles are the most dangerous form of air pollution because they penetrate deeper into the lungs and enter the bloodstream.

An estimated one kilo a month of particulate matter is expected to be removed from the air using a single tower, which collects it in a tray using a filter-less system. The tower also uses light energy to render gases such as NO2 harmless.

The new CATCE will bring together academics working across the university in the fields of engineering, health and wellbeing, maths, biomedical sciences, creative technologies and business. It will work on innovating, collaborating, qualifying and commercialising clean air technologies to combat air pollution indoors and outdoors.

Richard Greenwood, Chief Executive of Radic8, said: “We are delighted to launch this partnership with the University of Bolton. In tandem with long-term strategies and government policies to reduce the sources of air pollution, we believe in developing and promoting technologies to tackle air pollution today. We have developed technology that traps dirty air, neutralises toxic air and destroys sick air, creating true indoor air quality. We believe that everybody has the right to breathe clean air and are passionate about developing and commercialising clean air technologies”.

The work in CATCE will be incorporated into a degree course, a Master’s and PhD research. Dr Ianis G Matsoukas, Assistant Teaching Professor and Academic Operations Lead of the Institute of Management, said: “Developing the CATCE initiative will maximise the social and economic value of the University of Bolton. This will benefit students, communities, business and civil society through learning, research-informed teaching approaches, staff development and knowledge transfer. It will be a major step in the university’s contribution to reducing the effects of air pollution on public health and wellbeing.”

Dr Kondal Reddy Kandadi, Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Bolton, said: “The Clean Air Technologies Centre of Excellence and our collaboration with Radic8 will focus on applied research, teaching and industry placements for our students in many disciplines including engineering, business and management, medical biology and environmental sciences. This will be a major step in the university’s contribution to the development of clean air technologies.”