Research
Radiometric Dating
The Environmental Radiometric Facility at UCL was set up in 2003, and I have managed to run it ever since. Around 700 lake sediment, peat bog and soil cores from different regions over the world have been dated.

Environmental pollution and elemental geochemical cycling
Early research in China involved trace metals, and N and P in human-directly disturbed lake ecosystems, and reconstruction of lake pollution history by using lake sediments. In recent years, research has been mainly focused on lake pollution derived through different sources and the reasons, including atmospheric deposition, catchment secondary pollution to lakes, trace metal budgets in lake ecosystems, trace metal (especially Hg and Pb) pollution history recorded by lake sediments, Hg and Pb cycling in lakes and their relationship with atmospheric deposition and climate change. I have worked in Europe, China, Africa, Central and South America, and other regions of the world (Defra, EU, Leverhulme Trust, Royal Society, Royal Geographical Society).

Environmental isotope geochemistry
Use of unstable isotopes as tracers in environmental research. For example, using 210Pb as an indicator to trace pollutant Pb in lake ecosystems. I have set up a step-forward method for environmental monitoring.

Lake sedimentation processes
Use of chemical parameters such as trace metal profiles and other sediment features in lake sediments to study lake sedimentation processes.