Microbial mercury methylation: Methylmercury in the environment is produced microbially, and bioaccumulates as a neurotoxin in terrestrial and marine food webs. We are investigating the microbiology and biogeochemistry underpinning environmental Hg methylation.
Microbial arsenic resistance and arsenic speciation in hot springs: If microbial life evolved in hot springs, it must have possessed some mechanism of resistance to toxic levels of arsenic (As). We study microbial arsenic resistance and arsenic geochemistry in hot springs, as analogs for the early Earth.
Uranium interactions with sedimentary organic matter: the radioactive element uranium (U) can adsorb to, and undergo electron transfer reactions with, sedimentary organic matter. These processes may affect the form of U that is bioavailable to microorganisms for reduction and precipitation (immobilisation).
