David Megson

David Megson is a senior lecturer in analytical chemistry and environmental science. He investigates sources of environmental pollutants and monitors their fate and transport in the environment using advanced analytical techniques, including multidimensional chromatography and high resolution mass spectrometry.

His main research interests are in the field of environmental forensics, which involves identifying the sources of contamination and establishing the magnitude of any human or wildlife exposures. This involves the systematic and scientific evaluation of physical, chemical and historical information for the purpose of developing defensible scientific and legal conclusions regarding the source or age of a contaminant release into the environment." Or in more basic English; establishing the "who", "what", "when" and "where" from a contamination event.

Megson has previously worked as a technical advisor, conducting human health risk assessments and environmental forensics associated with contaminated land. He conducted a large variety of different projects assessing contamination and human exposure on a former gas works, a chemical factory, several former landfills, residential, industrial, allotments, public open space and highway schemes. He has also worked as an independent consultant in the past, and as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto.