We are excited to announce that in an effort to more accurately reflect the mission, ambitions and education objectives of our department, the Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, aka ACES, officially changed to the Department of Environmental Science effective January 1, 2020. Please stay tuned for further news and updates during the 2020-2021 academic year!

Cod severely affected by thiamine deficiency in the Baltic Sea
Thiamine, or vitamin B1, is an essential vitamin for all animal cells. Newly published research shows that a population of Atlantic cod found in the Baltic Sea is severely affected by thiamine deficiency. The work, which was recently published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE, was done by researchers at the Department of Environmental Science, and the Swedish University of …
ACES researchers secure 27,4 million SEK in research funding from Swedish agencies
Six ACES researchers have excelled in the latest Swedish Research Council and the Swedish Research Council for Sustainable Development (Formas) funding rounds, attracting more than 27,4 million SEK (€2.6 million) for 8 projects. The funding includes grants delivered through highly competitive research schemes announced yearly by both Swedish agencies, which provide three- to five-year financial support for researchers and their …
It’s a Wrap – New book marks end of successful Swedish-Chinese collaboration on environmental contaminants
Researchers from ACES and colleagues from other Swedish universities recently wrapped up a highly successful eight-year Swedish-Chinese research collaboration on environmental contaminants in the Yangtze River delta of China. Among them was ACES professor emeritus Åke Bergman who has spearheaded this major research project. A second book about the project was recently published and presented to the Municipal Bureau of …

Third edition of ACES-led eScience course was successfully held in northern Sweden
A week of atmospheric science combined with steamy saunas, brave winter dips, and day hikes in one of Sweden’s most pristine national parks was on offer at Abisko Scientific Research Station in northern Sweden in October. It can’t get any better than this, according to students who attended the course “eScience for linking Arctic measurements and modelling.” ”By e-science we …
From Gases to Clouds: recent studies provide new insights into the lifecycle of aerosols
Aerosols are tiny particles suspended in the air that can affect the Earth’s climate through direct reflection and absorption of solar radiation as well as through the modulation of cloud properties by serving as seeds for clouds. They are emitted to the atmosphere directly from sources such as traffic, forests, sea spray, desert dust, and fires but can also form …
Almost half of all PhD students at Stockholm University are foreign
A new report from the Stockholm Academic Forum shows that the proportion of international PhD students in the Swedish capital has increased by 14 percentage points over the ten-year period 2008–2018. The biggest increases have been registered at the Stockholm School of Economics and Stockholm University. Between 2008 and 2018, the proportion of international PhD students at Stockholm University rose …
Scientists call for more stringent regulation of chemical mixtures
Throughout life, we are exposed to complex mixtures of chemicals that could potentially harm us in various ways. Whose responsibility is to regulate these chemicals and what should be done about it? Christina Rudén, Professor at ACES, was appointed by the Swedish government to provide answers to these questions and has now submitted her findings in a newly published report. …
ACES to join FORCes in unraveling impact of air pollution on climate
The kickoff of Horizon 2020 project ”Constrained Aerosol Forcing for Improved Climate Projections,” or FORCeS, will be hosted by Stockholm University on November 6-7. The project is a transdisciplinary collaboration between 20 European partners and aims to reduce the uncertainty of the impact of air particles on climate by more precise climate projections. “We are thrilled with the opportunity to …
Persistent fluorinated chemicals in sea spray: clues from the Atlantic Ocean
Postdoctoral researcher Jana Johansson and PhD student Bo Sha have recently begun a 42-day field sampling campaign onboard the 29th Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) cruise that will cross the Atlantic Ocean from Southampton, UK, to Punta Arenas in southern Chile. The goal of their campaign is to investigate the water-to-air transfer of persistent organic pollutants known as PFAAs via sea …

A quest for glowing particles inside Arctic clouds
It was 4 AM in mid-June 2019 when I met my supervisor Paul in the lab. We were going to an island in the Arctic. Amongst our luggage was a home-printer sized black box labelled ‘bioaerosol sensor’. A cab was called and we started our trip. A little more than half a day and 2 commercial flights later we were …
Cleaner air leads to longer lives
Measures to reduce air pollution between 1990 and 2015 in three major Swedish cities have led to an increase in average life expectancy at birth by up to one year, according to a recent PhD thesis from ACES. “While it has been widely known that exposure to harmful air pollutants is associated with adverse health effects, the health benefits associated with …