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Alan Scarlett

 

Staff card photograph

Alan Scarlett

  • School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences (Faculty of Science and Technology)
  • Address: Room 624, Davy Building, Drake Circus,
    Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA
  • Postal address: Room 624, Davy Building, Drake Circus,
    Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA
  • Telephone: +441752584730
  • Email: alan.scarlett@plymouth.ac.uk


Qualifications & background

PhD
BSc Environmental Biology with Chemistry

My early career was within the horticultural industry, predominantly in managing my own landscape gardening business, but an interest in ecology led to my decision to return to full-time education in 1992 to read for a BSc in Environmental Biology with Chemistry at the University of Plymouth. Following graduating with 1st class honours in June 1996, I carried out marine ecotoxicological research at Plymouth Marine Laboratories investigating the impact of the 'booster biocide' compound Irgarol 1051, used in anti-fouling paints, upon the seagrass Zostera marina. Publications resulting from these early tests have now received over one hundred citations.

Following this, I joined an interdisciplinary project at the University of Plymouth, led by Professor Steve Rowland and Professor Tamara Galloway, concerned with the ecotoxicity of chemically dispersed and weathered crude oils. My main involvement within this multi-government agency-funded project was to develop and perform acute and chronic sediment bioassays using the marine amphipod Corophium volutator.

My PhD entitled "Effect-directed analysis of toxicants in unresolved complex mixtures (UCMs) of hydrocarbons from biodegraded crude oils" was completed at the end of 2007 (PhD abstract). The research involved state-of-the-art analysis of tissue extracts using comprehensive tandem gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-ToF-MS).

In 2008 I undertook nine months of collaborative research between the Epidemiology and Public Health Group at the Peninsular Medical School and the Environmental Toxicology Group at the University of Exeter's School of Biosciences, exploring the possible effects of environmental contaminants on human health. This led to a very high profile publication in JAMA-Journal of the American Medical Association, showing associations between the controversial endocrine-disrupting chemical bisphenol A and increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in adults [doi: 10.1001/jama.300.11.1303].

Returning to the University of Plymouth's PEGG group in 2009, I have now joined Professor Steve Rowland's OUTREACH project to help investigate the toxicity of complex mixtures within the environment. Recently I was awarded a Japanese Society of the Promotion of Science (JSPS) short-term fellowship. This involved spending two months at the Institute for Each China Sea Research in Nagasaki, collecting bivalves and seagrasses and assessing their health. The Japanese samples will be analysed using OUTREACH project's state-of-the-art GC×GC-ToF-MS.

 

Professional membership
Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)

American Chemical Society
Marine Biological Association (MBA)
Associate member of the Higher Education Academy
 


Teaching interests

One of the joys of university life is the access to a wide variety of current research. My contribution to this has been to convey my recent research to a group of 3rd year SEOES students as part of their Ecotoxicology module (EOE3212). Hopefully, this provided an insight into how a real research project is planned and undertaken, as well as some of the problems and pitfalls that can arise. I have successfully completed the General Teaching Associates (GTA) course and LTHE300, resulting in achievement of Certificate of Continued Professional Development - Learning, Teaching and Assessment: Theory and Practice. These teaching courses contributed towards the Postgraduate Certificate in Learning & Teaching in Higher Education and confirm associate membership of the Higher Education Academy.

 


Research interests

  • Nature of unresolved complex mixtures of hydrocarbons
  • Identification of compounds within complex mixtures by tandem gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GCxGC-Tof-MS)
  • Chronic effects of organic pollutants especially oil pollution
  • Population and community level effects of sublethal pollutants
  • Effects of pollutants on the behaviour of organisms
  • Effects of environmental contaminants on human health
 

UoP Research group membership

Biogeochemistry Research Centre (BGC) 
Petroleum and Environmental Geochemistry 

Journals
Articles
Scarlett, AG., Clough, R., West, CE., Lewis, CA., Booth, AM. & Rowland, SJ.  (2011)  'Alkylnaphthalenes: priority pollutants or minor contributors to the poor health of marine communities?' Environmental Science and Technology  ,  , DOI: 10.1021/es201234a
West, CE., Jones, D., Scarlett, AG. & Rowland, SJ.  (2011)  'Compositional heterogeneity may limit the usefulness of commercial naphthenic acids for toxicity assays' Science of the Total Environment  409  (19),  pp 4125 - 4131 , DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.05.061
Rowland, SJ., Scarlett, AG., Jones, D., West, CE. & Frank, RA.  (2011)  'Diamonds in the Rough: Identification of Individual Naphthenic Acids in Oil Sands Process Water' ENVIRON SCI TECHNOL  45  (7),  pp 3154 - 3159 , DOI: 10.1021/es1037210
Rowland, SJ., West, CE., Scarlett, AG., Jones, D. & Frank, RA.  (2011)  'Identification of individual tetra- and pentacyclic naphthenic acids in oil sands process water by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.' Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom  25  (9),  pp 1198 - 1204 , DOI: 10.1002/rcm.4977
Rowland, SJ., West, CE., Scarlett, AG., Jones, D., Boberek, M., Pan, L., Ng, M., Kwong, L. & Tonkin, A.  (2011)  'Monocyclic and monoaromatic naphthenic acids: synthesis and characterisation' Environmental Chemistry Letters  9  (4),  pp 525 - 533 , DOI: 10.1007/s10311-011-0314-6
Rowland, SJ., West, CE., Jones, D., Scarlett, AG., Frank, RA. & Hewitt, LM.  (2011)  'Steroidal Aromatic ‘Naphthenic Acids’ in Oil Sands Process-Affected Water: Structural Comparisons with Environmental Estrogens' Environmental Science & Technology  45  (22),  pp 9806 - 9815 , DOI: 10.1021/es202606d
Rowland, SJ., Jones, D., Scarlett, AG., West, CE., Hin, LP., Boberek, M., Tonkin, A., Smith, BE. & Whitby, C.  (2011)  'Synthesis and toxicity of some metabolites of the microbial degradation of synthetic naphthenic acids.' Sci Total Environ  409  (15),  pp 2936 - 2941 , DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.04.012
Jones, D., Scarlett, AG., West, CE. & Rowland, SJ.  (2011)  'The toxicity of individual naphthenic acids to Vibrio fischeri' Environmental Science & Technology  45  (22),  pp 9776 - 9782 , DOI: 10.1021/es201948j
Frenzel, M., Scarlett, A., Rowland, SJ., Galloway, TS., Burton, SK., Lappin-Scott, HM. & Booth, AM.  (2010)  'Complications with remediation strategies involving the biodegradation and detoxification of recalcitrant contaminant aromatic hydrocarbons.' Sci Total Environ  408  (19),  pp 4093 - 4101 , DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2010.04.042
Lewis, C., Guitart, C., Pook, C., Scarlett, A., Readman, J. & Galloway, T.  (2010)  'INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT OF OIL POLLUTION USING BIOLOGICAL MONITORINGAND CHEMICAL FINGERPRINTING' Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry  29  (6),  pp 1358 - 1366
Lang, I., Scarlett, A., Guralnik, J., Depledge, M., Melzer, D. & Galloway, T.  (2009)  'Age-Related Impairments of Mobility Associated with Cobalt and Other Heavy Metals: Data from NHANES 1999-2004' Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health-Part a-Current Issues  72  (6),  pp 402 - 409 , DOI: 10.1080/15287390802647336
Lang, IA., Galloway, TS., Scarlett, A., Henley, WE., Depledge, M., Wallace, RB. & Melzer, D.  (2008)  'Association of urinary bisphenol A concentration with medical disorders and laboratory abnormalities in adults' JAMA-J AM MED ASSOC  300  (11),  pp 1303 - 1310
Scarlett, A., Rowland, SJ., Galloway, TS., Lewis, AC. & Booth, AM.  (2008)  'Chronic sublethal effects associated with branched alkylbenzenes bioaccumulated by mussels' ENVIRON TOXICOL CHEM  27  (3),  pp 561 - 567
Scarlett, A., Canty, M.N., ., Smith, E.L., . & Rowland, S., .  (2007)  'Can amphipod behaviour help to predict chronic toxicity of sediments?' Human and Ecology Risk Assessment  13,  pp 506 - 518
Scarlett, A., Galloway, T.S., . & Rowland, S.J., .  (2007)  'Chronic toxicity of unresolved complex mixtures (UCM) of hydrocarbons in marine sediments' Journal of Soils and Sediments  7,  pp 200 - 206
Scarlett, A., Rowland, S.J., ., Canty, M., . & Smith, E.L., .  (2007)  'Method for assessing chronic toxicity of marine and estuarine sediment-associated contaminants using the amphipod <em>Corophium volutator</em>' Marine Environmental Research  63,  pp 457 - 470
Booth, A., Sutton, PA., Lewis, CA., Lewis, AC., Scarlett, A., Chau, W., Widdows, J. & Rowland, SJ.  (2007)  'Unresolved Complex Mixtures of Aromatic hydrocarbons 'humps': thousands of overlooked persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic contaminants' Environmental Science & Technology  41,  pp 457 - 464 , DOI: 10.1021/es0615829
Scarlett, A., Galloway, TS., Canty, M., Smith, EL., Nilsson, J. & Rowland, SJ.  (2005)  'Comparative toxicity of two oil dispersants, superdispersant-25 and corexit 9527, to a range of coastal species.' Environ Toxicol Chem  24  (5),  pp 1219 - 1227
Scarlett, A., Donkin, P., Fileman, TW. & Morris, RJ.  (1999)  'Occurrence of the antifouling herbicide, Irgarol 1051, within coastal-water seagrasses from Queensland, Australia' MAR POLLUT BULL  38  (8),  pp 687 - 691
Scarlett, A., Donkin, P., Fileman, TW., Evans, SV. & Donkin, ME.  (1999)  'Risk posed by the antifouling agent Irgarol 1051 to the seagrass, Zostera marina' AQUAT TOXICOL  45  (2-3),  pp 159 - 170
Scarlett, A., Donkin, ME., Fileman, TW. & Donkin, P.  (1997)  'Occurrence of the marine antifouling agent irgarol 1051 within the Plymouth Sound locality: Implications for the green macroalga Enteromorpha intestinalis' MAR POLLUT BULL  34  (8),  pp 645 - 651
Scarlett, A., Dissanayake, A., ., Rowland, S., . & Galloway, T.S., .  'Behavioural, physiological and cellular responses following trophic transfer of toxic monoaromatic hydrocarbons' Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry  , 
Scarlett, AG., West, CE., Jones, D., Galloway, TS. & Rowland, SJ.  'Predicted toxicity of naphthenic acids present in oil sands process-affected waters to a range of environmental and human endpoints' Science of the Total Environment  ,  , DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.02.064
Booth, A., Scarlett, A., Lewis, CA., Belt, ST. & Rowland, SH.  'Unresolved Complex Mixtures (UCMs) of Aromatic Hydrocarbons: Branched Alkyl Indanes and Branched Alkyl Tetralins are present in UCMs and accumulated by and toxic to, the mussel Mytilus edulis' Environmental Science & Technology  42,  pp 8122 - 8126 , DOI: 10.1021/es801601x
Letters
Rowland, SJ., Clough, R., West, CE., Scarlett, AG., Jones, D. & Thompson, S.  (2011)  'Synthesis and mass spectrometry of some tri- and tetracyclic naphthenic acids' Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry  25,  pp 2573 - 2578


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