The Analytical Science Research Group (ASRG) at Bournemouth University provides a focus for analytical research in the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, and a platform for collaborative work across the university and with industry.
Our research concentrates on the development of new analytical methods to deepen scientific understanding across three key themes:
- Bioanalytical science
- Environmental Analytical science
- Forensic science
Our technical focus and capabilities include a range of extraction approaches, separation methods (solid and liquid phase), detection techniques, chromatographic techniques, spectroscopy (including accurate mass spectrometry, spectrofluorimetry, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy), and chemometric techniques for data handling and optimization.
Our research is highly collaborative in nature and we work with clinicians, materials scientists, biomedical scientists, environmental chemists, geochemists, hydrologists, psychologists, ecologists and others, across a wide variety of disciplines.
Our work supports policy development and implementation, and we have strong links with many institutions, practicing professionals, and policy makers regionally and internationally.
Our expertise
BU ASRG is the hub of analytical science at the university for both research and commercial projects, providing state-of-the-art analytical instrumentation and technical expertise for sample extraction, separation, detection and characterisation.
We pride ourselves on our ability to solve problems through analytical science. Our group offer an array of analytical techniques and services to industrial clients including contract research, routine analysis and training courses, and can provide timely answers to difficult analytical problems.
Please see our facilities page to explore the range of specialist analytical instrumentation in our laboratories.
Our research
Major research projects include:
- Cancer metabolomics studies in collaboration with University Hospitals Dorset
- The investigation of second-hand exposure to psychoactive drug fumes in UK prisons
- Wastewater based epidemiology for monitoring new psychoactive substances
- Developing and utilising novel nanomaterials to detect trace amount of toxins and medicines in a range of biological and industrial samples
- Developing field-cum-lab based analytical methods for chemical characterization, from toxic pollutants such as heavy metals (e.g., arsenic, lead, selenium, cadmium) to emerging pollutants like engineered nanomaterials or nanoplastics in different environmental matrices – their speciation, toxicity, bioavailability and mobilization in the environment
- Developing Safe and Sustainability by Design (SSBD) based, greener, cost-effective methods for exploring toxins and their future environmental challenges in natural resources
- Developing novel advanced materials for studying the effect of emerging pollutants to test their safe and sustainable use
- Developing green seaweed-based ultra-sensitive substrates to detect trace amount of controlled drugs with Raman Spectroscopy