Helen Emma Mallinson
Helen Emma Mallinson is studying for a PhD within the Catchment Science Centre and the Groundwater Protection and Restoration Group; based in the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering. Her position is also supported by NERC and Yorkshire Water.
Prior to joining these research groups at the University of Sheffield she worked as a Scientific Officer within the Microbial Ecology department at CEH Windermere for 15 years (1988-2003). During this period she participated in several multidisciplinary EPSRC, NERC and industry-sponsored research projects on the effects of environmental conditions on the microbial ecology of hydrocarbon-contaminated sandstone and chalk aquifers (e.g. phenols, BTEX and MTBE) and laboratory-based isolation and identification of pesticide and herbicide-degrading micro organisms (e.g. isoproturon and mecoprop), from aqueous and solid environmental samples.
When CEH Windermere was relocated to Lancaster University she decided to take redundancy. After a period of working as a PA within the Inland Revenue based in Manchester she decided to undertake full-time study to gain an MSc in Contaminant Hydrogeology at the University of Sheffield. She graduated in September 2006.
Emma´s principle research interests are to assess the risks to groundwater supplies of drinking water from pesticides. Reducing the impact of anthropogenic pollution on UK aquifers and improving water quality is central to key legislative drivers such as the European Union Water Framework Directive (WFD); as diffuse pollutants such as pesticides pose a significant threat to groundwater quality. The environmental fate, natural attenuation processes and biodegradation rates of pesticides have been extensively studied in soils. However these studies were usually carried out using higher concentrations of pesticides than those found in groundwater; or at the acceptable levels that have been lay down by legislation. It is important that biodegradation processes and biodegradation rates of trace pesticide contamination found within the groundwater itself are understood. Microcosm studies together with chemical, classical microbiological and molecular biological techniques are going to be used to assess if biodegradation of pesticides at these low concentrations will occur. It is hoped that the microbial communities responsible for this may also be identified.
Publications
Lerner, D.N., Thornton, S.F., Spence, M.J., Banwart, S.A., Botterall, S.H., Higgo, J.J., Mallinson, H.E.H., Pickup, R.W. & Williams, G.M. (2000) Ineffective natural attenuation of degradable organic compounds in ground water. Ground Water, 38, 922-928.
Tipping, E., Bass, J.A.B., Blackburn, J.H., Hardie, D.J., Mallinson, H.E.H. & Simon, B.M. (2000) Report to: The DTI Energy and the Environment Programme. Biological responses to acidification reversal in Cumbrian stream waters Invertebrates and bacteria.
Pickup, R.W., G. Rhodes, M.L. Alamillo, H.E.H. Mallinson, S.F. Thornton & D.N. Lerner. (2001) Microbiological analysis of multi-level borehole samples from a contaminated groundwater system. International Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 53, 269-284.
Williams, G.M., Pickup, R.W., Thornton, S.F., Mallinson, H.E.H., Moore, Y. & White, C. (2001) Biochemical characterisation of a coal tar distillate plume. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 53, 175-198.
Pickup, R.P., Rhodes, G., Alamillo, M.L., Mallinson, H.E.H, Thornton, S.F. & Lerner, D.N. (2002) Four Ashes, a phenol contaminated groundwater site: A microbiological perspective. In GQ2001: Natural and Enhanced Restoration of Groundwater Pollution, Sheffield, U.K., 16-21 June 2001. (eds, Thornton, S.F & Oswald, S.O.), IAHS Publ. No. 275, 251-256.
Research within the CSC
Risks to Groundwater Supplies of Drinking Water from Pesticides
Contact Details
email : Emma Mallinson