Analytical & Environmental Sciences

Research within the Analytical & Environmental Science is recognised in the fields of toxicology, forensic science and atmospheric science. Chemistry is fundamental to all three activities and particular strengths exist in development of separation science and mass spectrometry towards the development of novel analytical methods.

Specific examples of Divisional research include improvements to aid detection of drug-facilitated sexual assaults, the use of nanoparticles for forensic purposes, the fate and effects of xenobiotics in the environment, toxicology of ambient particulate matter, defining mechanisms of environmental carcinogenesis and unraveling toxicogenomic fingerprints via a model organism approach.

The Drug Control Centre in the Division is the UK World Anti-Doping Agency accredited laboratory and played a key role in the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic and the Glasgow XX Commonwealth Games in 2014 anti-doping screening programme. Environmental science activity across the Division focuses on air, water and soil quality and includes monitoring, modelling and toxicology research. Atmospheric science research is undertaken within the Environmental Research Group, which is part of the MRC-PHE Centre for Environmental Health and the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Health Impact of Environmental Hazards.

The group operate the London Air Quality Network well as several county air quality networks. The research interests of the Genetic and Environmental Toxicology Group encompass the two complimentary areas of environmental carcinogenesis and toxicogenomics. The Forensic Science Group focusses on evidence recovery and novel detection methods for drugs, explosives and DNA in a variety of biological and environmental media.