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Chemicals and Plymouth University research
Dr Sean Comber
University of Plymouth
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Content
• Brief introduction to me
• Key areas of research
• Links to modelling and regulation
– Pharms
– Metals
– Phosphorus
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Research background• 16 years a contract research scientist/manager (WRc,
Marlow)• 6 years a principal consultant (Atkins) • 7 years an academic
• Moved from UK wide regulation/standard setting –Metal bioavailability, EQS setting
• To more local catchment based research focus
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My research areas • Sources (measurement and modelling – SAGIS/CIP)• Fate (partitioning, kinetics, biodegradation)• Speciation (metals, organics)• Metals, nutrients (P), organics (pharmaceuticals)
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Environmental pathways – are complex!
• Partitioning
• Bioavailability
• Persistence
• Risk assessment
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Pharmaceuticals
Emerging
concern
• Sources to sewer
• Models
• Risk
• Legislation
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Pharm fate in lower/lower middle income countries
7
Municipal wastewater used for irrigation (%) (FAO 2015)
• Growing market• Poorer wastewater treatment• Great wastewater/effluent reuse• Lack of knowledge re: fate
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Pharmaceuticals - processes
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We know little about the fate of pharms during sewage treatment or fate in receiving waters
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Pharms prediction and risk
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Impact
• Working with Astra Zeneca on worldwide issues
• Using sound science to inform smart regulation
• Key issues our science will hopefully help to inform:– Environmental risk assessments for industrialising
countries
– Impacts of wastewater reuse or poor/no sewage treatment
– Pharms in soil and receiving waters
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Metal speciation in rivers & estuaries
• Using state of the art metal speciation techniques– AGNES
– Competitive Ligand Exchange Cathodic Stripping Voltammetry (CLE-AdCSV)
• Models (Visual Minteq, WHAM 7)
• Biotic ligand Models
• Standard setting
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Monitoring/RiskMonitoring/Risk
Source apportionmentSource apportionment
Mitigation Mitigation
Survey of river Lynher(BLM)
Survey of river Lynher(BLM)
A30 highway runoff impact on headwaters
(BLM)
A30 highway runoff impact on headwaters
(BLM)
Research areas for metals
SAGIS development (WatInd/EA) on going
SAGIS development (WatInd/EA) on going
Mine inputs to Teignfrom groundwater
Mine inputs to Teignfrom groundwater
Mine impacts on W Chiverton stream (water,
spoil, sediment)
Mine impacts on W Chiverton stream (water,
spoil, sediment)
Mine impacts on Tavy (water, spoil, sediment – sequential extractions/ecology/BLM)
Mine impacts on Tavy (water, spoil, sediment – sequential extractions/ecology/BLM)
Red Media pellets for metal removal from
AMD (Teign)
Red Media pellets for metal removal from
AMD (Teign)
ConsultancyConsultancy PhDPhD MScMSc
Metal-S speciation in STW effluents & receiving watersMetal-S speciation in STW
effluents & receiving waters
BScBSc
Phytostabilisation using compost and plants
(Teign)
Phytostabilisation using compost and plants
(Teign)
Zn in marinasZn in marinasmarinasmarinas
Cu/Zn speciation in estuaries (HP)
Cu/Zn speciation in estuaries (HP)
ProcessProcess Anode dissolution/impacts (AR)
Anode dissolution/impacts (AR)
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Working with
• International Zinc Association
• International Copper Association
• Environment Agency
• Westcountry Rivers Trust
• Consultancies
• Red Media
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Impact• Meeting Water Framework Directive
objectives– Mine site remediation (phytostabilisation)– Acid mine drainage remediation (metal
reduction to meet) • Working with EA/Coal Authority/Red Media
– Source apportionment (UKWIR)• Source control vs end-of-pipe treatment
– Effluent quality (UKWIR) • Consenting/regulation UK and EU
• Marine Environmental Quality Standard setting – Cu and Zn biotic ligand models– Standard setting at UK/EU level
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Phosphorus• Linked to SAGIS
• Interest in regulation and modelling
• P speciation and bioavailability
• Biogeochemical cycling (West Sedgemoor)
• Effluent impacts on receiving water (Inny)
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Speciation and impacts/trends
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P speciation – does it matter?