Environmental Research Group, Imperial College London, UK
Emerging chemical contaminants TEAM
Discussing next generation forensics on BBC's The One Show with the cast of Silent Witness - 22/01/2019
Current Members
Dr Keng Tiong (Kelvin) Ng (Research Fellow) - explosives and precursors
Ms Alexandra Richardson (PhD Student) - environmental analysis
Ms Rachel Irlam (PhD student) - explosives detection
Ms Dima AlMekdad (PhD student) - metrology
Ms Lucy Birkitt - ecotoxicology
Ms Helena Rapp Wright - wastewater-based epidemiology
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Past Members
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Dr Thomas Miller
Dr Elizabeth Gilchrist
Dr Agnes Funa
Dr Kelly Munro
Dr Gillian McEneff
Dr Matteo Gallidabino
Dr Bronagh Murphy (PhD student)
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Visitors
Mr Christian Brinch Mollerup - University of Copenhagen
Dr Cristian Gomez-Canela, IDAEA-CSIC, Spain
Dr Kieran Nolan, Dublin City University, Ireland
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about us
The Emerging Chemical Contaminants team was established at King's College London in 2009 and from July 2020 will be relocated to Imperial College London within the Environmental Research Group at the School of Public Health
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Aim and purpose
Our aim is to further understanding of the sources, risks and impacts of existing, emerging and new chemical contaminants in the environment on humans and biota.
Our projects have mainly focussed on pharmaceuticals, personal care products, illicit drugs, pesticides, disinfectant by-products, public security related substances, industrial chemicals and extractables/leachables. Our work spans across all environmental spheres (soil, water, air and biological materials) and is largely underpinned with expertise in (bio)analytical chemistry and toxicology. We also specialise in the development of new approaches to the detection of chemical signatures relating to criminal activity and forensic science. In parallel with laboratory science, we embrace computational approaches using AI-enhanced analysis and predictive toxicology using large datasets derived from complex samples.
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Key strengths
Our particular strength lies in trace environmental analysis and have core expertise in separation science (e.g. LC, IC, GC, IMS and CE), advanced sampling/sample preparation (e.g. including on/offline SPE, passive sampling, pressurised liquid extraction), high and low resolution (tandem) mass spectrometry and data mining/computational modelling (e.g., machine learning and multivariate analysis for large datasets). Our major research themes include:
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Wastewater-based epidemiology: Near real-time population-level health assessment through the wastewater analysis. We have been members of the Sewage analysis CORE Group since 2011 contributing to knowledge of the health of ~30 countries and 90 cities globally. For example, we have provided data for London annually to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs & Drug Addiction on illicit drug use in the EU;
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Emerging contaminants/pollutants in the environment: Identifying the breadth, sources and fate of and as well as phenotypic and molecular level toxicological effects on biota. This includes performing exposure-based and machine-learning enhanced metabolomics and lipidomics to understand molecular-level effects, and mainly in terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates;
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Early threat warning: including early detection of explosives and new chemical/biological contaminants and hazards in the environment via the analysis of air and water.
All projects incorporate an interdisciplinary component drawing together molecular biology, toxicology, ecology, materials science, pharmaceutical science and computer science to maximise the impact and visibility of what we do across several fields. We have a strong relationship with the environmental, pharmaceutical and defence industries with most/all projects having partners who actively engage, fund and benefit from our research activity.
Recent Successes
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Explosives and Drugs Detection in the Environment:
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Contributed yearly illicit drug profiling data from sewage analysis for London to the European Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for comparison across >50 EU cities.
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First to characterise and quantify explosives in raw wastewater as a new way to determine explosives manufacturing activity in a city
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Wildlife Crime
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First to detect and implement a strategy for recovery of fingermarks on elephant ivory. View a video on King's Spotlight and; media coverage.)
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New published AI-based method "QPPR" can reconstruct gunshot residue to tell ammunition used gets cover of Analyst, 2019
Discussing the origins and applications of Chromatography live on BBC Radio 4 In Our Time with Melvyn Bragg
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Chemical Analysis
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Separation science and (high resolution) mass spectrometry-based analytical methods
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Sampling and sample preparation for solids, liquids and gases
Ecotoxicology
Understanding the occurrence, fate and effects of environmental pollutants on humans and biota
Early Warning Threat Detection
Novel methods for explosives and energetic materials detection in the field
Wildlife Crime
Detection of pollution and criminal acts affecting wildlife