Pollution

Our research

Understanding the risk from chemicals is pivotal for ensuring their sustainable use while protecting people, the environment and delivery of ecosystem services.

Our research aims to provide the scientific understanding needed to develop chemical hazard and risk assessment, understand the effects that pollutants have, and develop effective mitigation and restoration strategies. Our work covers a wide range of inorganic and organic chemicals that are released to land, freshwater and the atmosphere, and includes understanding the potential risks associated with engineered nanoparticles, plastics and pharmaceuticals linked to the development of antimicrobial resistance.

World-class science and innovation

The Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme (PBMS) quantifies contaminants in sentinel birds of prey. This work helps us understand how and why environmental concentrations of pollutants vary spatially and temporally, and the risks they pose to wildlife.
Plastics research to understand the sources, transport and effects of microplastics (plastics <5mm) in freshwater and terrestrial systems. Microplastics in oceans are well studied, but there is less information on their presence in soils, rivers and lakes, where they can be ingested by organisms and lead to the uptake of associated chemicals such as plasticisers.
Understanding the extent to which pharmaceuticals, metals, biocides and herbicides contribute to driving antimicrobial resistance in the environment.
Providing modelling tools to assess the water quality status across Europe and North Africa with the capability to assess the implications of proposed policy initiatives and climate change.
Through a series of UKRI and EU-funded projects we work to establish specialised risk assessment methods for nano-enabled materials and products. We determine how their environmental distribution, concentration, form and toxicity relate to the different physical and chemical properties of nanoparticle-containing materials used in everyday products (e.g. healthcare, electronics and cosmetics).

Science Groups

Analytical Chemistry (Group Leader: Gloria dos Santos Pereira)

Analytical skills and knowledge that support key environmental projects: We provide specialist chemical analysis and collaborative opportunities to CEH, UK universities and Higher Education Institutes, government agencies and the private sector.

The facility maintains high standards of quality control and is UKAS-accredited to ISO 17025:2005 for many of the analyses offered to give collaborators confidence in the quality of data provided. ISO 17025 is the international standard covering "General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories" and applies to management systems, training and the more technical aspects of laboratory operation. Visit the Analytical Chemistry webpages for additional information.

Contact: Gloria dos Santos Pereira

Ecotoxicology & Chemical Risk (Group Leader: Claus Svendsen)

Determining the environmental fate, form and concentrations of chemicals released to the environment and assessing their toxicity to the environment and humans: Pollutants of concern currently being investigated include microplastics (plastics <5mm in size), engineered nanoparticles, pharmaceuticals, metals and pesticides. In addition to looking at the effects of the chemicals themselves and their mixtures, we also assess their role in driving anti-microbial resistance in the environment.

We compile experimental and monitoring data, as well as develop and undertake robust risk assessment to underpin policies on chemical use.

Contact: Claus Svendsen

Environmental Contaminants (Group Leader: Nick Beresford)

Assessing the fate and concentrations of contaminants in the environment, including metals, biocides and radionuclides: We provide the environmental science base to underpin demonstrably safe operation of the nuclear industry and other uses of radioactivity.

Understanding the environmental behaviour of metals and to what degree people, plants and animals might be exposed is critical for protecting our health, and that of the environment. CEH’s world-leading model, WHAM (Windermere Humic Aqueous Model), predicts the chemistry of more than 40 metals, of various different forms, in soils and water and is used to develop further models and assessment methodologies.

This group also manages the Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme, which quantifies contaminants in sentinel birds of prey.

Contact: Nick Beresford

Environmental Data Science (Group Leader: John Watkins)

Understanding today’s environmental challenges requires the marshalling of world-wide information and data: Scientific, commercial and societal objectives depend on high quality data and analysis tools. CEH has decades of experience in collection, analysis and dissemination of environmental information.

We possess unique long-term, large-scale datasets that describe the state of the environment and, together with modelling expertise, help predict the future. CEH’s Environmental Information Data Centre (EIDC) works with the terrestrial and freshwater sciences community to ensure these datasets are secure and accessible.

Alongside our data management role, we are continually advancing our informatics capabilities to address major societal and environmental issues.

Contact: John Watkins

Our facilities

Metals Analytical Chemistry

Using state-of-the-art equipment in a purpose-built trace analysis laboratory, we are able to quantify environmental concentrations of a wide range of metals.

We have a wealth of experience which enables us to offer a wide range of environmental analysis and which has allowed us to expand the capability and capacity of the metals laboratory.

We are flexible and are always interested in looking at ways to help with the requirements of new project work in relation to emerging materials of environmental interest.

Contact: Dr Alan Lawlor or Dr M Gloria Pereira

Nutrients Analytical Chemistry

The Nutrients team analyses water, soil and vegetation samples collected as part of projects run from across the whole of CEH. We have produced the nutrients measurements for many of the long-term monitoring projects running within CEH. We also offer analytical facilities to newly established research projects. Many of our methods are UKAS accredited to ISO17025.

A combination of highly qualified and experienced staff using modern computer controlled instrumentation allows us to offer a facility that can analyse large numbers of samples.

Contact: Dr M Gloria Pereira

Organics Analytical Chemistry

The Organics team analyses biotic and abiotic samples for a large variety of organic substances found in the environment. These include:

Non-polar, hydrophobic, persistent and toxic compounds that bioaccumulate in the food chain, such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
Polar, less persistent, water soluble compounds that are mobile in the ecosystem and exhibit a range of toxicities, such as steroid hormone endocrine disrupters
Ecologically relevant chemicals such as phytopigments and phospholipids

Our experienced and motivated staff, and our state-of-the-art instrumentation, have allowed us to adapt our methods to specific scientific needs. We have developed methods for the analysis of 'new' and 'emerging' compounds of interest.

Contact: Dr M Gloria Pereira

Stable Isotope Facility

This facility undertakes isotope analyses within the terrestrial, freshwater & marine scientific communities. It is part of NERC’s Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry Facility (LSMSF) which makes analyses available to the UK’s ecological research community.

The facility's main strength is its exclusive combination of sample preparation equipment, analytical instrumentation and staff expertise. The facility conducts a range of "fit-for-purpose" technologies, methodologies and new applications, and provides a highly specialised unit for the ¹³C & ¹⁵N stable isotope analysis of environmental materials.

Contact: Dr Andy Stott