Dr Andrew Turner

Research interests

Speciation, adsorption and fate of trace metals in natural waters

• Conceptual and empirical modelling of the particle-water interactions of trace metals and organic contaminants in natural waters
• Thermodynamic speciation modelling of metals in estuaries
• Mercury cycling in estuaries and coastal waters
• Hydrophobic and amphiphilic properties of trace metals in contaminated rivers
• Radionuclide behaviour in coastal waters 
• The influence of surfactants on the behaviour of organic and inorganic contaminants in natural waters 
• Uptake of metals by marine macroalgae and microalgae 
• Interactions of metals with plastic production pellets in sea water

Emerging pollutants

• Behaviour and environmental impacts of cytotoxic drugs
• The behaviour of the platinum group metals in natural waters
• Interactions of thallium with natural surfaces
• Behaviour of "stickies" in paper recycling 
• Effects of antifouling paint residues on the distributions and effects of biocides in coastal waters
• Toxicity of nanoparticles to fresh water and marine organisms

Bioaccessibility, bioavailability and toxicity of contaminants

• Human bioaccessibility of metals in household dust, road dust and urban paints
• Invertebrate bioavailability of sediment-bound contaminants using enzymatic digestions and proteins
• Toxicity of tyre wear constituents in marine systems
• Toxicity of metals and surfactants to marine macroalgae
• Bioaccessibility of metal pigments in marine plastics
• Mobility of metals in ceramicware and consumer glassware

• Development of XRF for the analysis of low density materials (plastics, paints)
• Application of XRF for the analysis of macroalgae
• In situ monitoring of trace elements in sediments
• Occurrence of harmful elements in the domestic setting and in consumer products
• Use of XRF to characterise plastic WEEE

Other research

• Regular reviewer for Environmental Science and Technology, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, Environmental Pollution, The Science of the Total Environment, Marine Chemistry, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Limnology and Oceanography, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Chemosphere, Applied Geochemistry
• Guest associate editor of Marine Chemistry
• Associate editor for Marine Pollution Bulletin
• Advisory committee member for LEAD Safe
• Organising committee member for Estuarine Biogeochemistry
• Chapter contributions in encyclopedias and texts on subjects ranging from oceanography to human health
• Current and recent collaborations with Derriford Hospital; Royal Yachting Association; British Maritime Federation; University of Cardiff (School of Engineering); OMYA AG;  Plymouth Marine Laboratory; University of Bordeaux 1 (Geochimie et Ecotoxicologie des Metaux dans les systemes Aquatiques); University of Malta (Department of Chemistry); University of Geneva (Institute FA Morel); University of Nova Gorica (Laboratory for Environmental Research); Lead Paint Safety Association: www.lipsa.org.uk; Cornish Plastic Pollution Coalition

Research degrees awarded to supervised students

• D. Mohammed; Toxicity of metals and surfactants to freshwater macroalgae. MPhil (2017).
• C. Levy; Study of modified calcium carbonates as active-agent slow-release and environmental clean-up agents. PhD (2016)
• N. Vyas; Effectiveness of a closed system device in reducing occupational exposure and environmental concentrations of anticancer drugs. PhD (2014).
• L. Holmes; Interactions of trace metals with plastics in the marine environment. PhD (2013)
• L. Dallas; Assessing the impacts of chronic exposure of contaminants on marine organisms. PhD (2013)
• C. M. Gribble; Surface adsorption and pore-level properties of mineral and related systems of relevance to the recycling of paper. PhD (2010)
• L. Shams; Uptake of platinum group elements by the marine microalga, Chlorella stigmatophora. PhD (2010)
• S. Batchelli: Multi-method characterisation of terrestrial and marine colloids in coastal waters. PhD (2010) 
• S.J. Watts; Recovery of the Mersey Estuary from metal contamination. PhD (2004)
• E. Mawji; Speciation and hydrophobicity of trace metals, MRes (2003)
• Y. Dogra; Biological effects of tritium, MRes (2003)
• T.L. Jones-Hughes; Surfactants in rivers and estuaries, PhD (2003)
• M.S. Williams; Radionuclides in estuaries, PhD (2001)
• S.M. Le Roux; Speciation and reactivity of metals in estuaries, PhD (2000)
• A. Punt; Estuarine modelling of trace metals, PhD (2000)
• M. Martino; Reactivity of nickel in estuaries, PhD (2000)
• M.C. Rawling; Partitioning of organics micropollutants in estuaries, PhD (1999)
• T.J. Mathews; Void structure, colloid and tracer transport properties of stratified porous media, PhD(1998)
• T.K. Sands; Metal Reactivity in the North Sea, PhD (1997)
• Supervisor for research projects of 60 MSc Students

Current PhD students

• C. Crawford; Analytical, taxicogenomics and modelling approaches to determine the impacts of radionuclides and metals.

Research groups

• Speciation and Environmental Analysis*