Given the human health and environmental impacts currently associated with atmospheric contamination, it is vital that SEMARNAT has at its disposal the resources, both human and physical, to identify and characterize such problems. From the information it generates, the necessary policies and measures to control and improve air quality can be designed and implemented – in coordination with state and municipal authorities. For this reason, it is necessary to develop scientific research studies that generate new knowledge about the levels and types of atmospheric contaminants - both anthropogenic and natural in origin - that are present in urban and rural areas, and which allow for standards and action plans to be formulated and implemented that can help control atmospheric contaminants that have an impact on human health and the environment.

This Office is part of the Head Office of the National Environmental Research and Training Center that is charged with planning, coordinating, directing, and evaluating actions, as well as carrying out scientific research projects, related to atmospheric emissions from industrial, vehicular and natural sources in Mexico. It is also involved with studies on the transportation of contaminants derived from such emissions and their impact on areas and natural resources, with the aim of obtaining relevant scientific and technical information that can assist the development of standards, environmental management and decision-making by environmental authorities.