Johnson Group - Atmospheric Infuser Research Laboratory

The Johnson Group studies atmospheric reaction mechanisms, air pollution dynamics and gas-phase methods for pollution control and methane emission mitigation.

Research focus

The Johnson Group works on fundamental reaction mechanisms that are central to sustainability and the green transition.

Using tools from atmospheric chemistry, the research focuses on air pollution dynamics, chemical kinetics and photochemistry.

These insights are applied to real-world problems, including:

  • airborne environmental DNA (eDNA) to track endangered species
  • low-cost sensor systems for pollution studies in environments such as the Copenhagen Metro and construction sites
  • gas-phase methods for controlling methane emissions at extremely low concentrations

The group’s MEPS technology has been tested successfully in field pilots on Danish dairy farms. Several pollution-control innovations are now being commercialised through university spin-off companies.

Group leader

Projects

Projects in the group cover a wide range of topics in atmospheric chemistry, pollution monitoring and pollution control.

  • methods that use the high temporal and spatial resolution of low-cost sensors
  • atmospheric fate of pollutants using photochemical and kinetic techniques
  • fast and efficient chemical systems for pollution control
  • photochemical mitigation of methane, ammonia, reduced sulfur compounds and odour in waste air from livestock
  • indoor air quality and photochemical treatments that may reduce building energy use
  • naturally occurring photocatalysts, such as metal oxides and organic chromophores, and their role in atmospheric chemistry

Collaborations

The group collaborates widely with industry, startups and academic partners.

Several companies are based directly on technologies developed in the group, including:

  • Ambient Carbon – livestock methane control
  • Rensair – indoor air cleaning and building energy efficiency
  • Devlabs – low-cost sensor networks
  • Luper Tech – odour control for wastewater treatment
  • Anaeco – destruction of waste anaesthetic and refrigerant gases

Academic collaborations include:

  • Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), University of Surrey
  • IMAU, Utrecht University
  • Spark Climate Solutions
  • National Research Centre for the Working Environment
  • Lund University
  • Wageningen University

Major industrial partners include Arla and Danone.

Contact

Matthew Johnson
Professor
  • Job responsibility
    Group leader