- 200 years
- Study
- International
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- About us
https://webcdn.mmu.ac.uk/profiles/img/profile-images/David-Megson-crop-145x145-57b5c2d9c22da.jpg
My research and teaching is in the fields of analytical chemistry and envrionmental science. I like to investigate sources of environmental pollutants and monitor their fate and transport in the environment using advanced analytical techniques including multidimensional chromatography and high resolution mass spectrometry. Much of my research has an environmental forensics aspect which involves identifying the sources of contamination and establishing the magnitude of any human or wildlife exposures.
I am committed to facilitating the inclusion of contributions from all scientists regardless of race, age, culture, ability, ethnicity or nationality, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, marital status, religious affiliation, and socioeconomic status. I strongly believe that science is for everyone so as long as you are passionate about science you are very welcome in my research group.
Post Doctoral Fellow, University of Toronto/Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change/Conservation Ontario, Canada (2015-16)
I developed a QuEChERS screening method to quickly identify potential contaminants of concern in sediments. Extracted samples were analysed using atmospheric pressure gas chromatography and high resolution time of flight mass spectrometry (APGC-HRToFMS).
Post Doctoral Fellow, Ryerson University/Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, Canada (2014-15)
I developed an analytical method for the analysis of emerging organophosphorous and halogenated flame retardants using APGC-HRToFMS
Independent consultant, (2008-16)
I operated as an independent consultant in environmental forensics. I was appointed to an expert panel to identify the risks to surface waters from hydraulic fracturing, provided assistance on legal cases with data interpretation and analysis to establish the source of a PCBs. I have also run a series of workshops and given lectures on contaminated land assessment and environmental forensics.
Environmental Scientist, Mouchel, UK (2007-11)
I was a technical advisor for human health risk assessment and environmental forensics associated with contaminated land. I conducted a large variety of different projects assessing contamination and human exposure on a former gas works, a chemical factory, several former landfills, residential, industrial, allotments, public open space and highway schemes
The following scientists have undertaken post doctoral research under my supervision
2021-present) Dr. Bilha Saina, Environmental forensics of microplastics
2019-2020) Dr Daniel Niepsch, Analysis of persistent organic pollutants and air quality monitoring
The following PhD students have completed their studies under my supervision
Pennante Naa Ayikailey Bruce-Vanderpuije (Investigations on the state of POPs in Ghana, and human biomonitoring of dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dlPCBs), polychlorinated, polybrominated and mixed halogenated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs, PBDD/Fs, and PXDD/Fs) in vulnerable ghanaian populations), Based at University at Buffalo
I am curently involved with the supervision of the following PhD candidates:
Director of Studies
Jodie Barber (An assessment of zoonotic disease risk posed by animal events worldwide)
Emmelianna Kumar (Development And Application of Methods For Quantifying Pharmaceuticals in Eurasian Otters (Lutra lutra))
Kevin Hayes (Identification of toxic substances linked to aerotoxic syndrome in aircraft cabins)
Co-supervisor
Lauren McNeill (Origami Chips: paper-based Lab-on-a-Chip devices for the rapid and cost-effective detection of New Psychoactive Substances (NPSs))
Guuske Tiktak (Conservation management of elasmobranch populations)
Thomas Hughes (The importance of mesocarnivores; Impacts of diet, pollutants and gut microbiomes)
My main research interests are in the field of environmental forensics. This involves the systematic and scientific evaluation of physical, chemical and historical information for the purpose of developing defensible scientific and legal conclusions regarding the source or age of a contaminant release into the environment." Or in more basic English; establishing the "who", "what", "when" and "where" from a contamination event.
My specific research areas are:
G. O'Sullivan, D. Megson (2015). Environmental Forensics Proceedings of the 2014 INEF Conference. Royal Society of Chemistry.
C. Balouet, J. Burken, J. Martelain, J. Lageard, F. Karg, et al. D. Megson. (2023). Dendrochemical forensics as material evidence in courts: how could trees lie?. Environmental Forensics. 24(1-2), pp.21-27.
N. D’Cruze, FER. Galarza, O. Broche, HR. El Bizri, S. Megson, et al. A. Elwin, FC. Machado, J. Norrey, E. Coulthard, D. Megson. (2021). Characterizing trade at the largest wildlife market of Amazonian Peru. Global Ecology and Conservation. 28,
P. Bruce-Vanderpuije, D. Megson, K. Jobst, GR. Jones, E. Reiner, et al. CD. Sandau, E. Clarke, S. Adu-Kumi, JA. Gardella. (2019). Background levels of dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dlPCBs), polychlorinated, polybrominated and mixed halogenated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs, PBDD/Fs & PXDD/Fs) in sera of pregnant women in Accra, Ghana. Science of The Total Environment. 673, pp.631-642.
N. D'Cruze, B. Singh, A. MOOKERJEE, D. Macdonald, K. Hunter, et al. C. Brassey, R. Jennifer, S. Megson, DP. Megson, G. Fox, J. Louies, RS. Sharath. (2018). What’s in a name? Wildlife traders evade authorities using code words. Oryx. 52(1), pp.13-15.
D. Megson, TA. Brown, G. O'Sullivan, M. Robson, X. Ortiz, et al. PJ. Worsfold, S. Comber, MC. Lohan, EJ. Reiner. Changes to polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) signatures and enantiomer fractions across different tissue types in Guillemots. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 131, pp.174-179.
R. Lega, D. Megson, C. Hartley, P. Crozier, K. MacPherson, et al. T. Kolic, PA. Helm, A. Myers, SP. Bhavsar, EJ. Reiner. (2017). Congener specific determination of polychlorinated naphthalenes in sediment and biota by gas chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography A. 1479, pp.169-176.
D. Megson, M. Robson, KJ. Jobst, PA. Helm, EJ. Reiner (2016). Determination of Halogenated Flame Retardants Using Gas Chromatography with Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization (APCI) and a High-Resolution Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (HRqTOFMS). Analytical Chemistry. 88(23), pp.11406-11411.
D. Megson, X. Ortiz, KJ. Jobst, EJ. Reiner, MFA. Mulder, et al. J-C. Balouet. (2016). A comparison of fresh and used aircraft oil for the identification of toxic substances linked to aerotoxic syndrome. Chemosphere. 158, pp.116-123.
D. Megson (2016). Environmental forensics in the workplace. LC-GC North America. 34(8), pp.564-565.
DP. Megson, S. Dack (2012). Assessing changes to the congener profile of PCDD and PCDF during bioaccumulation in chicken and duck eggs.
D. Megson, S. Dack, M. Moore (2011). Limitations of the CLEA model when assessing human health risks from dioxins and furans in soil at an allotments site in Rochdale, NW England. J Environ Monit. 13(7), pp.1983-1990.
D. Wayland, DP. Megson, SM. Mudge, JD. Icely, A. Newton (2008). Identifying the Source of Nutrient Contamination in a Lagoon System. Environmental Forensics. 9(2-3), pp.231-239.
D. Megson (2018). Polychlorinated Biphenyls. In: Reference Module in Chemistry, Molecular Sciences and Chemical Engineering. Elsevier, pp.318-327.
V. Jaspers, D. Megson, G. O’Sullivan (2014). POPs in the Terrestrial Environment. In: Environmental Forensics for Persistent Organic Pollutants. Elsevier, pp.291-356.
EJ. Reiner, KJ. Jobst, D. Megson, FL. Dorman, J-F. Focant (2014). Analytical Methodology of POPs. In: Environmental Forensics for Persistent Organic Pollutants. Elsevier, pp.59-139.
G. O’Sullivan, D. Megson (2014). Brief Overview. In: Environmental Forensics for Persistent Organic Pollutants. Elsevier, pp.1-20.
G. Tiktak, T. Hughes, M. Brandt, FR. Diz, KEB. Vasquez, et al. C. Peñaherrera, A. Gabb, B. Cain, D. Megson, R. Preziosi, KJ. Shaw. (2021). GENETIC IDENTIFICATION OF THREATENED HAMMERHEAD SHARKS ILLEGALLY SOLD AT ARTISNAL FISH MARKETS IN ECUADOR. In: MicroTAS 2021 - 25th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences. pp.129-130.
D. Megson (2023). PFAS: cleaning up drinking water.
I regularly review articles for environmental journals including:
2021: Awarded $250,000 CAD. New Frontiers in Research Fund. Identification of microplastic sources using environmental forensic fingerprinting techniques (Joint-Lead Investigator)
2021: Awarded £185,522 - BBSRC. Proof of concept electrochemical sensor as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for the presence fungal pathogens (Co-Investigator)
2020: Awarded £6,370 - Research Grant with BGS. Determining the concentration of persitent organic pollutants in sediment and fish in Africa (Lead Investigator)
2020: Awarded £2,970 - Research Grant for consultancy work. Assessing the effectiveness of a semipermiable membrane to purify water (Lead Investigator)
2020: Awarded £13,323 - Research Grant for consultancy work. Assessing the antimicrobial efficacy of decontamination wipes and ability of shampoo to remove organic pollutants (Lead Investigator)
2019: Awarded £4,900 - British Mass Spec Society. Analysis of PFAS in groundwater after ultrasonic treatment using high resolution mass spectrometry (Lead Investigator)
2019: Awarded £5,000 - Royal Society of Chemistry. Occupational Exposure from dIPCBs, PCDD/F and PXDD/Fs in sera (Co-Investigator)
2019: Awarded £216,570 - Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Innovate UK & NERC. Development of a Sweeping Sand (Lead Investigator)
2019: Awarded £6,500 - Research Grant for consultancy work. Assessing the suitability of decontamination wipes to remove persistant organic pollutants (Lead Investigator)
2019: Awarded £88,600 - Match funded studentship. Identification of toxic substances linked to aerotoxic syndrome in airplane cabin using wipe samples (Lead Investigator)
2019: Awarded £5,000 – Manchester Met. Staff development award (Lead Investigator)
2018: Awarded £6,228 - Research Grant. Sweeping sands scoping study (Lead investigator)
2018: Awarded £21,000 - Research Grant. Wildlife forensics (Lead investigator)
2017: Awarded £60,000 – Research Grant. Wildlife forensics – assessment of zoonotic disease risks (Lead Investigator)
2017: Awarded £19,200 – Research Grant for consultancy work. Identification of per- and poly-fluorinated (PFAS) compounds within a simple model fire-fighting foam (Lead Investigator)
2017: Awarded £5,000 – Research Grant for consultancy work. Determining transisomerisation of tricresyl phosphates by palladium catalysis and the potential impact on aircraft air quality (Lead Investigator)
2017: Awarded £4,500 – Research Grant for consultancy work. Investigating illegal wildlife trade of ‘Hatha Jodi’(Lead Investigator)
2017: Awarded £1,500 – Summer studentship from RSC/BMSS. Determination of the chemical structure of antimicrobial substances from Viburnum opulus (Lead Investigator)
2017: Awarded £4,500 – Manchester Met. Staff incentivisation award (Lead Investigator)
2016: Awarded £311,836 – Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP). Developing a real time sensor to monitor water quality (Co-Investgator)
2017-present: Chemistry Matters - I currently work as a consultant for Chemistry Matters (http://chemistry-matters.com/) providing assistance with environmental forensics investigations
2015: Canadian Water Network - I was part of the team who produced a gap assessment investigating Landscape Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing Development and Operations on Surface Water and Watersheds
2013: SoBRA - I produced a Report in Risk Assessment of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Groundwater, Laboratory Analysis and Environmental Forensics
I am curently colaborating with WAP (https://www.worldanimalprotection.org.uk/) to combat wildlife crime
I am curently a reviewer or have acted as a reveiewer for:
The Royal Society of Chemistry Research Fund
The Royal Society of Chemistry ESED travel grants
The Royal Society
SERDP (U.S. Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program)
I am have held positions as a guest editor for Emerging Contaminants, the Journal of Environmental Pollution and Environmental Geochemistry and Health