Heath Malcolm

Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Bush Estate
Penicuik
Midlothian
EH26 0QB
T: +44 (0)131 4454343
F: +44 (0)131 4453943
 

Current work

I currently manage two Defra-funded contracts: the Rural Heavy Metals Monitoring Network; and the Review of Transboundary Air Pollution (RoTAP).

The Heavy Metals network consists of 16 rural sites across the UK where samples of rain water, and air-borne particulate matter are collected and analysed to determine the concentration of 28 different heavy metals and metalloids in air and precipitation. The measured concentrations are integrated with meteorological data such as total rainfall to allow the deposition of each metal to calculated. Data from the 16 sites are interpolated to produce UK maps of the concentrations and depositions of heavy metals.  The data produced by this contract are used to ensure that the UK complies with the EU legislation on heavy metals in the atmosphere, and it allows temporal and spatial trends of heavy metals in the UK to be evaluated.

The RoTAP project will produce a report for Defra which reviews the current state of rural air pollution issues in the UK. The RoTAP report aims to evaluate the extensive measurements of atmospheric pollutants and their effects on the environment, and produce a synthesis of current understanding which will be used to determine air quality policies. The RoTAP project involves a wide-ranging community of scientists, and as secretary to the group, I ensure good communication between the members during the duration of the project, and editing of the report to ensure that a high quality scientific report is produced.

 

Research interests

My research interests are in assessing the risk of chemicals to the environment and human health.

 

Brief CV

  • Contribution to National and International Hazard and Risk Asessment Programmes: This involved writing and reviewing documents for the UK Government and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) to determine the risk of chemicals causing effects on the environment and human health.  I have been involved with documents on Chlorinated benzenes, Manganese, Creosote, Palladium, Vinyl Chloride, Acetone, Methanol, Zinc, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Thallium, isophorone, Chlordenic Acid / Hydride, Lineal Alkylbenzene Sulphates, Dioxins and Ethylene Glycol.
  • Management of the Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme (PBMS): Management of CEH’s long-running monitoring scheme which measures the concentrations of pesticides and industrial chemicals in raptor carcasses which are sent in by members of the public, and in addled / abandoned raptor eggs which are sent in by licensed egg collectors. The scheme evaluates temporal and spatial trends of contaminants in wildlife and can be used to determine the effectiveness of policies which restrict the use of chemicals.
  • Science Coordinator – Biogeochemistry Programme: For four years, I was the Science Coordinator for the CEH’s Biogeochemistry Programme. This involved working closely with the Biogeochemistry Science Director on the establishment and on-going strategic and operational management of the Biogeochemistry Science Programme.  I would brief the Science Director on issues including science direction and science resources including allocation of science budget funds, capital and studentships within the programme. I also had corporate duties including secretary to CEH’s Programme Development Group and the Advisory Committee.
  • See here for a fuller CV.

Selected publications

See also the NERC Open Research Archive and fuller CV.

Shore, R.F., Malcolm, H.M., McLennan, D., Walker, L.A., Weinburg, C.L., Burn, A.J. (2006) Did foot-and-mouth disease-control operations affect rodenticide exposure in raptors? Journal of Wildlife Management 70 588-593

Malcolm, H.M., Osborn, D., Wright, J., Wienburg, C., & Sparks, T.H.  2003 Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Congener Patterns of Seabirds Found Dead in Mortality Incidents Around the British Coast. Archives of Environmental Contamination & Toxicology 45 136-147

Malcolm, H.M. & Shore, R.F. (2003) Effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on terrestrial and freshwater birds, mammals and amphibia. In Douben, PET (Ed), PAHs: An Ecotoxicological Perspective, John Wiley & Sons. 225-241

Malcolm, H.M., Osborn, D., Sparks,T.H.,  Wienburg, C.,  Dale, L., Newton, I., & Shore, R.F. (2002) Temporal & spatial trends of organochlorine and mercury contamination in gannet eggs. In Usher, MB, Mackey, EC & Curran, JC (Eds) The State of Scotland’s Environment and Natural Heritage. Stationery Office, Edinburgh. 213-217.

Alcock R., Boumphrey, R.,  Malcolm, H.M., Osborn, D., & Jones, K.C. (2002) Temporal and spatial trends of PCB congeners in UK gannet eggs Ambio 31 202-206

Liteplo, R., Howe P.D. & Malcolm, H.M. (2002) Environmental Health Criteria 227: Fluorides. World Health Organization, Geneva, 268pp.

Simon-Hettich, B., Wibbertmann, A., Wagner, D., Tomaska., L & Malcolm, H. ( 2001) Environmental Health Criteria 221: Zinc. World Health Organization, Geneva, 360pp.

Keymer, I. F., Malcolm, H. M., Hunt, A. & Horsley, D. T. (2001) Health Evaluation of penguins (Sphenisciformes) following mortality in the Falklands (South Atlantic). Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 45 159-169

Malcolm, H.M., Howe, P.D. & Dobson, S. 1995 Toxicity of LAS to aquatic organisms. Toxicology & Ecotoxicology News 2 20-24

Malcolm, H.M., Boyd, I.L., Osborn, D., French, M.C., & Freestone, P. 1994  Trace metals in Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) livers from Bird Island, South Georgia. Marine Pollution Bulletin 28 375-380