Michael Watts’s Biography
- 2012 – ongoing : Head of Inorganic Geochemistry laboratories
- 2001 : Environmental Chemist – BGS
- 2001 : PhD University of Surrey
- 1998 : MSc University of Surrey
- 1997 : BSc (Hons) Sheffield Hallam University and University of Lille
Research interests
- Micronutrient deficiencies – linked to Food Security and human health
- Ecosystem and human health – methods for assessing risk & routes of exposure to metals, in particular arsenic.
- Elemental speciation / Specialist ICP-MS applications.
Current projects and collaborations
- Environmental Geochemistry and Health in Africa – Kenya/Tanzania Spatial incidence of micronutrient deficiency related conditions (e.g. iodine deficiency, fluorosis, oesophageal cancer) in the Rift Valley. Evaluation of food supply, mechanisms for soil-to-plant transfer of micronutrients and metals (2015-2024). Upcoming work will link geochemistry on land with aquaculture biogeochemistry research in Lake Victoria through soil degradation/erosion, transfer of micronutrients and metals, with source apportionment – health of humans and ecosystem linking the two environments (2018-2024)
- Royal Society DFID Africa Capacity Strengthening project for soil geochemistry. Investigation of soil-to-plant mechanisms and soil management strategies for micronutrient and metals in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe (2015-2021).
- Royal Society funded project evaluating the impact of mine tailing exposure to nearby village dwellers in the Zambian Copperbelt (2018-2024).
- Environmental Geochemistry and Health Africa – exposure to anthropogenic contaminants e.g. mercury from Gold mining in Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal. Series of PhD projects, linking pathways and implications for health with policy development (2018-2022).
- Environmental risk of As and other metals in UK Groundwater and other exposure routes: Public Health England.
Publications
NERC Open Research Archive — Michael Watts
– ongoing:Google Scolar Michael Watts http://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=2wyK5kYAAAAJ
Professional associations
- President of the Society for Environmental Geochemistry and Health – webmaster for www.segh.net
- Royal Society of Chemistry Member
- Coordinating editor for Environmental Geochemistry and Health – Springer Nature.
- Coordinating editor for Scientific Reports, Springer Nature.
Boards and committees
- Associate Professor, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham since 2014