Ashish Sharma

Ashish Sharma

Postgraduate Research Student
MRes (Macquarie University, Australia); MS (GIST, S. Korea), B.Tech (Civil Engineering, India)
+44 (0)1483 686657
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sustainability-ashish/
22 AA 03
10.00 a.m. - 6.30 p.m

Biography

Ashish Sharma is a civil and environmental engineer by professional training and his interest spans across Air pollution (aerosols, air borne nanoparticles and particulate matter); Cities and mega cities; Smart cities; Interfaces of air pollution; and Sustainable transportation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from India and two master degrees from Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) Gwangju (South Korea) and Macquarie University in Sydney (Australia). At University of Surrey (U.K), he has recently started his PhD in September 2017 with a major in civil and environmental engineering and he is currently engaged in an industry funded research project Mitigation of air pollution exposure to young children (MAPE) funded by the UK Engineering Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and an industrial partner BRIZI Ltd. Prior to joining University of Surrey, he has worked for 5 years as an environmental sustainability researcher with some of the prestigious research groups overseas at GIST (South Korea), The University of Toledo (USA), Macquarie University (Australia), and The Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Programme (TRIPP) at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi (India). He loves travelling and exploring diverse cultures, languages and multicultural lifestyles. Apart from his engagements in engineering research projects, he is an enthusiast of TED-like conferences, and events related to Entrepreneurship, Management and Global Leadership programs. He is also a graduate of Macquarie Global Leadership Certificate (Postgraduate MQ GLP) with Macquarie University (Australia) and 2015 COBI Advanced Leadership Academy at The University of Toledo. He presented his research at on quantification of in-pram babies exposure at The Cambridge Particle Meeting 2019 at The University of Cambridge (UK), The American University of Cairo (Egypt), The University of Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Air Pollution Conference (4th CMAS South America) at Belo Horizonte (Brazil). Prior to this, while working as a researcher, he has given oral talks in international conferences and summits such as AWMA (The Air & Waste Management Association) Spring Conference in Toledo (USA). He delivered an oral talk on “Sustainable Transportation” at one of the biggest Smart Cities Conference held at New Delhi in year 2017. Apart from his routine engagements as an air quality researcher, he is an enthusiastic blogger and writes on trending topics at the nexus of technology, engineering, innovation, creativity and inclusive social transportation. 

Research

Research interests

My publications

Publications

Sharma Ashish, Kumar Prashant (2020) Quantification of air pollution exposure to in-pram babies and mitigation strategies,Environment International Elsevier
Sharma Ashish, Kumar Prashant (2018) A review of factors surrounding the air pollution exposure to in-pram babies and mitigation strategies,Environment International 120 pp. 262-278 Elsevier
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.07.038
Air pollution exposure to in-pram babies poses a serious threat to their early childhood development, necessitating a need for effective mitigation measures. We reviewed the scientific and grey literature on in-pram babies and their personal exposure to traffic generated air pollutants such as particulate matter d10/¼m (PM10), d2.5/¼m (PM2.5), d0.10/¼m (ultrafine particles) in size, black carbon and nitrogen oxides and potential mitigation pathways. In-pram babies can be exposed up to ~60% higher average concentrations depending on the pollutant types compared with adults. The air within the first few meters above the road level is usually most polluted. Therefore, we classified various pram types based on criteria such as height, width and the seating capacity (single versus twin) and assessed the breathing heights of sitting babies in various pram types available in the market. This classification revealed the pram widths between 0.56 and 0.82/m and top handle heights up to ~1.25/m as opposed to breathing height between 0.55 and 0.85/m, suggesting that the concentration within the first meter above the road level is critical for exposure to in-pram babies. The assessment of flow features around the prams suggests that meteorological conditions (e.g., wind speed and direction) and traffic-produced turbulence affect the pollution dispersion around them. A survey of the physicochemical properties of particles from roadside environment demonstrated the dominance of toxic metals that have been shown to damage their frontal lobe as well as cognition and brain development when inhaled by in-pram babies. We then assessed a wide range of active and passive exposure mitigation strategies, including a passive control at the receptor such as the enhanced filtration around the breathing zone and protection of prams via covers. Technological solutions such as creating a clean air zone around the breathing area can provide instant solutions. However, a holistic approach involving a mix of innovative technological solutions, community empowerment and exposure-centric policies are needed to help limit personal exposure of in-pram babies.
Kumar Prashant, Druckman Angela, Gallagher John, Gatersleben Birgitta, Allison Sarah, Eisenman Theodore S., Hoang Uy, Hama Sarkawt, Tiwari Arvind, Sharma Ashish, Abhijith K V, Adlakha Deepti, McNabola Aonghus, Astell-Burt Thomas, Feng Xiaoqi, Skeldon Anne, de Lusignan Simon, Morawska Lidia (2019) The Nexus between Air Pollution, Green Infrastructure and Human Health,Environment International Elsevier
Cities are constantly evolving and so are the living conditions within and between them. Rapid urbanization and the ever-growing need for housing have turned large areas of many cities into concrete landscapes that lack greenery. Green infrastructure can support human health, provide socio-economic and environmental benefits, and bring color to an otherwise grey urban landscape. Sometimes, benefits come with downsides in relation to its impact on air quality and human health, requiring suitable data and guidelines to implement effective greening strategies. Air pollution and human health, as well as green infrastructure and human health, are often studied together. Linking green infrastructure with air quality and human health together is a unique aspect of this article. A holistic understanding of these links is key to enabling policymakers and urban planners to make informed decisions. By critically evaluating the link between green infrastructure and human health via air pollution mitigation, we also discuss if our existing understanding of such interventions is enabling their uptake in practice.

Both the natural science and epidemiology approach the topic of green infrastructure and human health very differently. The pathways linking health benefits to pollution reduction by urban vegetation remain unclear and that the mode of green infrastructure deployment is critical to avoid unintended consequences. Strategic deployment of green infrastructure may reduce downwind pollution exposure. However, the development of bespoke design guidelines is vital to promote and optimize greening benefits and measuring green infrastructure?s socio-economic and health benefits are key for their uptake. Greening cities to mitigate pollution effects is on the rise and these needs to be matched by scientific evidence and appropriate guidelines. We conclude that urban vegetation can facilitate broad health benefits, but there is little empirical evidence linking these benefits to air pollution reduction by urban vegetation, and appreciable efforts are needed to establish the underlying policies, design and engineering guidelines governing its deployment.

Kumar Prashant, Hama Sarkawt, Omidvarborna Hamid, Sharma Ashish, Sahani Jeetendra, Abhijith K.V, Debele Sisay E., Zavala-Reyes Juan C., Barwise Yendle, Tiwari Arvind (2020) Temporary reduction in fine particulate matter due to ?anthropogenic emissions switch-off? during COVID-19 lockdown in Indian cities,Sustainable Cities and Society 102382 Elsevier
DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2020.102382
The COVID-19 pandemic elicited a global response to limit associated mortality, with social distancing and lockdowns being imposed. In India, human activities were restricted from late March 2020. This ?anthropogenic emissions switch-off? presented an opportunity to investigate impacts of COVID-19 mitigation measures on ambient air quality in five Indian cities (Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai), using in-situ measurements from 2015 to 2020. For each year, we isolated, analysed and compared fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration data from 25 March to 11 May, to elucidate the effects of the lockdown. Like other global cities, we observed substantial reductions in PM2.5 concentrations, from 19 to 43% (Chennai), 41?53 % (Delhi), 26?54 % (Hyderabad), 24?36 % (Kolkata), and 10?39 % (Mumbai). Generally, cities with larger traffic volumes showed greater reductions. Aerosol loading decreased by 29 % (Chennai), 11 % (Delhi), 4% (Kolkata), and 1% (Mumbai) against 2019 data. Health and related economic impact assessments indicated 630 prevented premature deaths during lockdown across all five cities, valued at 0.69 billion USD. Improvements in air quality may be considered a temporary lockdown benefit as revitalising the economy could reverse this trend. Regulatory bodies must closely monitor air quality levels, which currently offer a baseline for future mitigation plans.

Additional publications