Chemicals in the Environment
We all depend on soil for so many things, food production, carbon storage, water filtration and recreation to name but four. But unfortunately soil is a fragile resource and can become contaminated with chemicals due to either accidental or deliberate release. Understanding how chemicals behave in the environment is vital if we are to clean up impacted soils and determine whether the chemicals actually pose a risk to receptors such as humans or ecosystems. A lot of my work on contaminated sites has dealt with the impact of contaminants on earthworms but I also look at the behaviour and remediation of contaminants, the behaviour of pesticides and also the sequestration of carbon in soil.
I'm currently working with Professor Lisa Emberson and colleagues on a project funded by the United Nations Development Programme identifying key polluting industries in southern Africa and south east Asia and potential means to reduce their environmental impacts.
Tazeen Khan is investigating the impacts of microplastics on plant growth
and in particular investigating how microplastics might interact with plant nutrients including phosphate.PhD title: The effects of microplastics on soil biogeochemistry
Co-supervisor: Dr Karen Thorpe (FERA)
Funder: Commonwealth
Dates: 2018-
Dr Mehwish Taneez has visited our laboratory from the International Islamic
University, Islamabad, funded by the Charles Wallace Trust to work on microplastic-metal interactions and their impacts on earthworms.
Funder: Charles Wallace Trust
Dates: 2019
Jo Witton developed models to explain how green lace wings (Chrysoperla carnea) and
the predatory mite Typhlodromus pyri f avoid pesticides on leaves and the potential impacts that this has on their population sizes.
PhD title: Pesticide avoidance behaviour of non-target arthropods and its population level consequences (PANTA)
Co-supervisor: Dr Roman Ashauer (main supervisor)
Funder: BBSRC, Industrial CASE. CASE partner Dr G Weyman. (Makhteshim Agan). Project partners Dr T Alvarez (EcoRisk Solutions Ltd), Dr M Reed Chemicals Regulation Directorate).
Dates: 2015-2019
Ting Yang investigated the potential of humic-like acids for remediation of
contaminated water and soil
PhD title: Synthesis and use of synthetic humic-like acid (SHLA) for the remediation of metal-contaminated water and soil.
Funder: Chinese government scholarship / University of York overseas scholarship
Dates: 2014-2018
Mohd Firdaus Mohd Anuar worked on the fate and behaviour of nanopesticides
in soil systems. His work highlighted key differences in their behaviour compared to that of conventional pesticides.
PhD title:Nanoparticulate pesticides
Co-supervisors: Professor Alistair Boxall (main supervisor)
Funder: Malaysian government
Dates: 2013-2017
David Hughes and Ashfaq Asfar worked on the use
of functionalised nanoparticles in the remediation of metal contaminated soiil and clean up of radioactive wastes.
PhD title: Remediation of metal contaminated soils and waters with engineered nanoparticles
Co-supervisors: Professor Laurence Harwood (main supervisor) and Dr Liz Shaw, University of Reading
Funder: EPSRC
Dates: 2011-2015
Mark Hirons carried out research that considered the issues relating to the mineral wealth of Ghana and the preservation of Ghanian forestry. Many mineral consessions are located in Ghana's remaining forest land and there is a potential conflict between the "carbon wealth" represented by the forests and the forest soil and the "mineral wealth" located below.
PhD title: Addressing Livelihood and Environmental Needs: What are the Implications of Implementing the REDD Mechanism in Rural Sub-Saharan Africa?
Co-supervisor: Professor Gavin Hilson (University of Surrey, main supervisor)
Funder: ESRC-NERC ES/I003800/1
Dates: 2010-14
Joseph Olimah conducted experiments investigating whether ochre, a waste product currently accumulating in many disused British mines, can be used as a remedial treatment for metal contaminated soils.
PhD title: Plant-metal-microbe interactions
Co-supervisor: Dr Liz Shaw, University of Reading
Funder: Nigerian government
Dates: 2010-13
Musfiroh Jani is investigating the behaviour of hydrous ferrous sulphates produced in acid mine drainage systems. These compounds are very soluble and their hydration state varies with humidity.
PhD title:The crystal chemistry of hydrous ferrous sulphates.
Co-supervisor: Dr Ann Chippindale, University of Reading
Funder: Malaysian government
Dates: 2010-14
Martin Clifford is contributing to the debate surrounding artisanal mining in Ghana. More specifically he is investigating why miners continue to use mercury in the extraction of gold and the environmental implications of this.
PhD title: Environment, health and mercury pollution in the small-scale gold mining industry: strategies and ways forward in Ghana
Co-supervisor: Professor Gavin Hilson (University of Surrey, main supervisor)
Funder: ESRC-NERC
Dates: 2008-2012
Dr Laura Atuah carried out work looking at the effectiveness of phosphate amendments in immobilising metals at contaminated sites and reducing toxicity and / or bioavailability to earthworms.
Funder: Ghanian government
Dates: 2006-10
My earlier work on contaminant behaviour and remediation has also investigated:
phytoremediation (former PhD students Drs Zeta Rizou with Professor Peter Gregory, University of Reading, and Mike Hopgood with Professor Brian Alloway, University of Reading).
depleted uranium mobility (past PhD students Drs Elaine Trueman and Laura Vivian with Dr Stuart Black, University of Reading, Prof. David Read or Enterpris and Prof George Shaw, Nottingham University),
acid mine drainage in the Rio Tinto area (former PhD students Edith Chopin and Tracy Buckby with Dr Stuart Black and Profs. Max Coleman and Brian Alloway, University of Reading),
radioactive scale (former PhD student Dr Stefano Cecarello with Dr Stuart Black and Prof. David Read),
impacts of metals in sewage sludge (former PhD students Dr Erica Donner, with Professor Stephen Nortcliff, University of Reading and Dr David Devaney with Dr Andy Godley, wrcplc, Dr Kevin Purdy, University of Warwick and Dr Sirwan Yamulki, Forest Research)
