Environmental Biogeochemistry Research Group | Research Themes

Impact of mining and urban development on lakes in
Papua New Guinea
The impacts of the Ok-Tedi Au-Cu mine in PNG on Lake Daviumbu have been investigated. Geochemical distribution patterns were used to identify the source of key elements and species in the lake. High sediment load couple with elevated Cu concentrations clearly illustrated the mine impacts on the lake and associated fish stocks.

OSBORNE, P.L., POLUNIN, N.V.C. and NICHOLSON, K. (1988). Geochemical traces of riverine influence on a tropical lateral lake. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol., 23, 207-211.

NICHOLSON, K. (1996). Lacustrine sediment geochemistry as a tool in retrospective environmental impact assessment of mining and urban development in tropical environments: examples from Papua New Guinea. In: APPLETON, J.D., FUGE, R. and McCALL, G.J.H. (eds). Environmental Geochemistry and Health with special reference to developing countries. The Geological Society Publishing House, London, ISBN 1-897799-64-0, 195-199.

The fate of cyanobacterial toxins in lake sediments
This new study is examining the interaction of hydrophobic and hydrophilic toxins derived from cyanobacteria with minerals in the water column and bed sediments. Accumulation mechanisms and remobilization events with concomitant implications for water quality are under investigation.

Copper contamination of river waters and sediments from whisky distilleries
Despite in-plant treatment programmes copper in distillery effluent is episodically discharged into receiving stream waters. A proportion of this load accumulates on the bed sediments. This study has illustrated the accumulation of Cu in streams receiving discharges from distilleries in Strathspey.

FRASER, S. and NICHOLSON, K. (1996). Copper from whisky distillery effluent in stream waters and sediments from north-east Scotland. 14th European Environmental Geochemistry and Health Meeting, London, April, 1996.

Methylation capacity of river and marine sediments

HADJISPYROU, S.A., ANAGNOSTOPOULOS, A, NICHOLSON, K. and NIMFOPOULOUS, M.K. (1997). Correlation of the methylation capacity of river and marine sediments to their organic sediment index. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 20, 19-27.