Projects per year
Overview
Profile summary
- I am an Associate Professor in marine and environmental biogeochemistry at the University of Plymouth. My teaching focuses on marine, terrestrial and atmospheric processes and the impacts of pollutants on these processes.
- My research is mainly related to marine pollution by plastics, pharmaceuticals, antifouling paints, rare earth elements and other emerging contaminants, human health impacts arising from exposure to chemicals and microplastics, waste management and AI, contamination of consumer plastics through recycling of electronic waste, and the analysis of low-density materials through X-ray fluorescence. I have also recently seen the many benefits of combining conventional scientific research with citizen science.
- I am currently collaborating with colleagues from World Health Organization, Nature Seychelles, The Science Museum, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, CEA Aix Marseilles University, University of Exeter Medical School, Birmingham University, University of Portsmouth, The Cornish Plastic Pollution Coalition, Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences, University of Shiraz, Geosciences Environnement Toulouse, Moldovan National Public Health Agency, The University of Geneva, Lancaster University, University of Toronto, University of Zanjan, Kerman University, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization, Klaipeda University, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Wageningen University, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Changsha Human Agricultural University, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, and California Institute of Arts.
- I am on various advisory boards and committees, including Lead Safe World, the International Scientific Committee for Estuarine Biogeochemistry and Food Packaging Forum.
- Research outputs are in numerous scientific publications and reports.
- Research is also featured in various media outlets, online videos, blogs and forums; Scientific American, New Scientist, National Geographic; several Wikipedia and Wiktionary pages; high school text books.
- Reader in Environmental Sciences (Biogeochemistry).
- Lecturer on the Environmental Science, Environmental Management & Sustainability, Geography, Ocean Science, Marine Biology, Foundation Year, Applied Marine Science and Environmental Consultancy programmes.
- Stage Two tutor for Environmental Science and Environmental Management.
- Module leader for ENVS2005/ENVS3001/ENVS3003.
Professional memberships
- Member of the Estuarine and Coastal Sciences Association
- Full member of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography
Roles on external bodies
- Advisory committee for LEAD safe group
- Spokesperson for LEAPP alliance.
- Member of the International Scientific Committee for Estuarine Biogeochemistry
- Guest associate editor for Marine Chemistry
- Editorial board for Marine Pollution Bulletin
- Editor for Frontiers topic "Plastics in the Environment: Understanding Impacts and Identifying Solutions"
- Food Packaging Forum
Supervised research degrees
- F. Jahedi; Microplastics in human physiological fluids. PhD (current)
- A. Lawen; Microplastics in Seychelles marine environment. PhD (current)
- N. Mimpress; Paint particles as microplastics. ResM (current)
- F. Read; Litter on the seabed. ResM (current)
- C. Crowther; Analytical, taxicogenomics and modelling approaches to determine the impacts of radionuclides and metals. PhD (2021)
- 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 150 MSc Students
Teaching interests
- Marine and environmental biogeochemistry
- Marine pollution
- Environmental radioactivity
- Air quality modelling
- Environmental impact and risk assessment
- Applied statistics and data management
- Meteorology
- Persistent organic pollutants
- Plastic recycling and pollution
- Waste management and WEEE
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 1 Active
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Tritium Impact and Transfer in Advanced Nuclear reactorS (TITANS)
Turner, A. (CoI - Co-Investigator), Jha, A. (PI - Principal Investigator) & Moore, M. (CoI - Co-Investigator)
1/09/22 → 31/08/25
Project: Research
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A systematic review of biomonitoring microplastics in environmental matrices: Emphasis on airborne particles, dry deposits, and comparative analysis with traditional methods
Jahedi, F., Jaafarzadeh Haghighi Fard, N. & Turner, A., Apr 2025, In: Environmental Advances. 19, 100609.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Downloads (Pure) -
Characteristics, behaviour and fluxes of microplastics in the coastal boundary zones of the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea
Abbasi, S. & Turner, A., 15 Jun 2025, In: Environmental Pollution. 375, 126305.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Determination of titanium speciation in consumer plastics by Raman microspectroscopy
Brazard, J., Adachi, T. B. M., Turner, A. & Filella, M., 1 Jan 2025, In: Microchemical Journal. 208, 112391.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Downloads (Pure) -
Interactions of anthropogenic microfibres with the marine macroalga, Ulva lactuca
Collins, A. & Turner, A., Mar 2025, In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. 212, 117572.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Downloads (Pure) -
Microplastics and nanoplastics in tea: Sources, characteristics and potential impacts
Fard, N. J. H., Jahedi, F. & Turner, A., 28 Feb 2025, In: Food Chemistry. 466, 142111.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Downloads (Pure)
Media stories
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Hundreds of abandoned boats dumped around Devon and Cornwall
26/05/21
1 item of Media coverage
Media story
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Our plastics are loaded with rare-earth materials, and scientists don’t know why
18/02/21
1 item of Media coverage
Media story
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Seychelles Beach Cleanup Shows Potential for Citizens to Tackle Marine Trash
19/04/24
1 item of Media coverage
Media story
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Datasets
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Towards the Global Plastic Treaty: a clue to the complexity of plastics in practice - supporting data
Filella, M. (Creator) & Turner, A. (Creator), ZENODO, 31 Aug 2023
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.8305228, https://zenodo.org/records/8305228
Dataset
Theses
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