Dr David Spurgeon

Current work and research interests

My research focuses on understanding the long-term risks of environmental stressors (especially contaminating chemicals) for terrestrial ecosystems. The overarching aim of the work is to provide practical tools for risk assessment and modelling of stress induced environmental change. This focus on providing reasonable approaches for ecological risk assessment and management does not, however, preclude us applying innovative methods when and where these provide the possibility to gain greater insight. My main areas of my research are:

Molecular Mechanism of Toxicity: In a set of NERC- funded and PhD projects conducted with Dr Peter Kille and Dr John Morgan (both Cardiff University), Dr Stephen Sturzenbaum (Kings College, London), Dr Jake Bundy (Imperial College, London) and Prof. Mark Blaxter (Edinburgh University) as well as CEH colleague Dr Claus Svendsen and various post-docs and students, I have been investigating the mechanism that earthworms and nematodes use to adapted to environmental stress associated with chemical exposure. Extensive sequencing has allowed development of a microarray that can be used to investigate gene expression change in response to stress in the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus (as well as the nematode C. elegans). By linking changes in the expression profiles of genes with adverse effects on the physiology and life-cycle (development time, reproductive capacity, life-span) we have been able to understand the system levels changes that link molecular changes to phenotypic effects (e.g. through changes in the allocation of energy resources in the dynamic energy budget). Complementary metabolomic work has been used to understand the biochemical basis of these phenotypic effects. This work has potential to generate new tools that can be used for monitoring environmental quality within monitoring programs.

Mixtures: The  EU project NOMIRACLE in which I am a partner is developing ways of addressing how effects from pollutant mixtures can be addressed in detail, and how this will affect the risk they pose to biota. An important part of this project has been to conduct experiment to test the applicability to existing mixture toxicity concept such as concentration addition and independent action to mixture of chemicals in cases where mode of action is both established and also unknown. The project will generate advice on how to include mixture toxicity concept in both site specific and generic risk assessments.

Large Scale Risk: I am contributing to project that are assessing the regional and national scale effects of metal and persistent organic pollution derived from point and diffuse sources. This has included environmental impact assessments at smelter, mines and power station sites and also establishing spatial patterns of PAHs, PCBs and trace metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, V, Zn) in soils collected nationwide wide during Countryside Survey 2000 and 2007. This data is being use to assess the large scale risk of diffuse pollution to terrestrial biota.

Ecological Risk Assessment: I was a research contractor and advisor during the development of a tiered framework for assessing ecological risks of contaminated land by the Environment Agency. Our main contribution was in the development of the practical approaches that would be used in the latter tiers of the framework. A particular focus was selecting biological tests for use in establishing if contamination has resulted in adverse ecological change at a given site. With CEH colleagues Dr Steve Lofts and Prof. Ed Tipping, I have also been working to develop models that can link models of chemical speciation with the species sensitivity distribution concept in support of the development of more scientifically valid environmental quality standards (see CEH's Critical Loads website for more information). This work is supported by Defra as part of work towards the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution. Currently, I am working to assessment the potential environmental risks of engineered nanoparticles.

Chemical Risks for Human Health: In a recent NERC-funded project we have been assessing, in collaboration with Imperial College, London, the exposure and potential effects of trace metal released during the operational life of a now disused industrial facility. Quantifications of metals in relevant environmental samples, such as soil, dust and garden grown vegetables have been conducted and assessments of the kidney health of people living in the immediate area made. The project has shown that even after a factory has ceased to be operational, the contamination that resulted during the plant’s life can remain in the area for some time leaving people in the area at risk of adverse exposure.

The results from my research enables us to collaborate with environmental regulators to deliver better understanding, and to develop tools for sound risk assessment and management, and to guide them in formulating effective policies to protect environmental health.

Brief CV

Selected publications

See also the NERC Open Research Archive.

Bundy, J.G., Keun, H., Sidhu, J. K., Spurgeon, D.J., Svendsen, C., Kille, P., Morgan, A.J. (2007). Metabolic profile biomarkers of metal contamination in a sentinel terrestrial species are applicable across multiple sites. Environmental Science and Technology 41, 4458-4464.

Spurgeon, D.J., Rowland, P. Ainsworth, G. Rothery, P., Long, S. Black, H.I.J. (2008). Geograhical and pedological drivers of distribution and risks to soil fauna of seven metals (Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, V and Zn) in British soils. Environmental Pollution 153, 273-283.

Svendsen, C., Owen, J., Kille, P., Wren, J., Jonker, M.J., Hedley, B.A., Morgan, A.J., Blaxter, M., Stürzenbaum, S.R., Hankard, P.K. Lister, L.J. and Spurgeon, D.J. (2008). Comparative transcriptomic responses to chronic cadmium, fluoranthene and atrazine exposure in Lumbricus rubellus. Environmental Science and Technology 42, 4208–4214.

Owen, J., Hedley, B.A., Svendsen, C., Wren, J., Jonker, M.J., Hankard, P.K., Lister, L.J., Stürzenbaum, S.R., Morgan, A.J., Spurgeon, D.J., Kille, P.1 and Blaxter, M.L. and Kille, P.(2008). Transcriptome profiling of developmental and xenobiotic responses in a keystone soil animal, the oligochaete annelid Lumbricus rubellus. BMC Genomics 9, 1-21.

Bundy, J.G., Sidhu, J.K., Rana, F., Spurgeon, D.J., Svendsen, C. Wren, J.F., Stürzenbaum, S.R., Morgan, A.J., Kille, P. (2008). ‘Systems toxicology’ approach identifies coordinated metabolic responses to copper in a terrestrial non-model invertebrate, the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus. BMC Biology 6, 1-25.

Martin, H.L., Svendsen, C., Spurgeon, D.J., Lister, L. J., Gomezeyles, J. (2009). Measurement and Modelling the Combined Toxicity of Binary Mixtures in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans - a Test of Independent Action. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

Long, S.M., Reichenberg, F., Lister, L.J., Hankard, P.K., Townsend, J., Mayer, P., Wright, J., Holmstrup, M., Svendsen, C., Spurgeon D. J. (2009). Combined chemical (fluoranthene) and drought effects on Lumbricus rubellus demonstrates the applicability of the independent action model for multiple stressor assessment. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.