Contributions of Ozone to Pollution and Air Quality issues

IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) est un acteur majeur de la recherche et de la formation dans les domaines de l’énergie, du transport et de l’environnement. De la recherche à l’industrie, l’innovation technologique est au cœur de son action, articulée autour de quatre priorités stratégiques : CLIMAT, ENVIRONNEMENT ET ÉCONOMIE CIRCULAIRE, ÉNERGIES RENOUVELABLES, MOBILITÉ DURABLE et HYDROCARBURES RESPONSABLES.

L’engagement d’IFPEN en faveur d’un mix énergétique durable se traduit par des actions visant :

• à gagner en efficacité énergétique ;
• à réduire les émissions de CO2 et de polluants ;
• à améliorer l’empreinte environnementale de l’industrie et des transports ;

tout en répondant à la demande mondiale en mobilité, en énergie et en produits pour la chimie.

Dans cet objectif, IFPEN développe des solutions permettant, d’une part, d’utiliser des sources d’énergie alternatives et, d’autre part, d’améliorer les technologies existantes liées à l’exploitation des énergies fossiles.

Contributions of Ozone to Pollution and Air Quality issues

IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) is a major player in research and training in the fields of energy, transport, and the environment. In the field of sustainable mobility, IFPEN conducts research aimed at improving vehicle powertrains, to improve their energy efficiency and reduce their potential impacts on the environment and human health, notably through work on engines, fuels, hybridization, associated energy management or the use of fuel cells.

The objective of the internship will be to establish a bibliographic review regarding the key role of ozone in certain reaction processes taking place in the atmosphere and contributing to the formation or evolution of certain pollutants.

Indeed, while its presence in the stratosphere is beneficial for the filtration of certain UV rays, it acts as a powerful greenhouse gas when present in the atmosphere and can also affect human health (irritation, headaches, or even deterioration of respiratory functions). In addition, human activities, and certain emissions of ozone precursor pollutants (nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, etc.) contribute to its formation and presence in the atmosphere, itself impacting certain reaction processes at the origin of the formation of secondary organic aerosols. More recently, the role of ozone in the formation of toxic compounds such as 6PPD-quinone from 6PPD emissions from tires (once emitted into the atmosphere by tire/road abrasion phenomena) also has been highlighted.

To do this, you will need:

• To draw up a bibliographic review of the central role of Ozone in certain atmospheric processes governing the formation and/or evolution of pollution, as well as its effects and precursors, in relation to emissions from the transport sector (exhaust and non-exhaust),
• Based on the equipment and protocols available at IFPEN, your research and with the help of discussions held during the internship, to propose protocols to evaluate certain links between emissions from the transport sector, Ozone and atmospheric pollution, or even participate in its implementation in the laboratory.

Requested profile and skills:

End of engineering course, master 2, university research master, with knowledge in chemistry, atmospheric chemistry and/or air quality

• Interested in environmental issues (air quality, health impacts, global warming, etc.).
• Use of computer/office softwares (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Teams, etc.) necessary to carry out the missions entrusted and daily activities.
• Demonstrating motivation, rigour, ability to listen and take initiative, interpersonal skills.
• Writing quality, English language mastery (reading, writing)

Keywords: Pollution, emissions, air quality, ozone, atmospheric chemistry, global warming 

Duration and dates: 6 months, between March and October 2025

Practical information: The internship will take place at IFP Energies nouvelles in Solaize (south of Lyon). The intern will be granted with a financial compensation (unless granted otherwise)