China plans to build world’s largest 'smog lab'

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is planning to spend 500 million yuan ($80 million) to build the world's largest "smog lab," reported the West China Metropolis Daily on Wednesday.

The fan-shaped lab would cover an area of 3.3 hectares and help provide solutions to the smog shrouding Chinese cities by using a "smog chamber" to simulate the country's atmospheric environment.

The chamber that can create conditions similar to smog and help researchers study the chemical reactions of different mixtures of pollutants, according to He Hong, a researcher and lead scientist in charge of the project.

Similar smog chambers have been built in several other countries including Germany, Spain and the US.

"We need our own smog chamber, because the theories explaining smog in other countries are inadequate when applied to the environmental conditions of China's cities," said He.

The plan is still awaiting approval from policymakers, he added.

The lab would feature six major systems, including an atmospheric aerosol simulation vessel, an atmospheric photochemistry simulation vessel, a numerical simulation system, an observation station, a testing station, and pre-simulation and supporting facilities.