A myriad and ever-increasing range of anthropogenic contaminants are now present in our environment. We seek to assess the fate, behaviour, and impacts of pollutants (from source to-sink), and work on a wide range of priorities including emerging contaminants, marine plastics, pharmaceuticals, and heavy metals. 

Our research seeks to not only quantify the presence of pollution, but to understand its risks to and impacts on biodiversity, working at the molecular, individual and population level. Our work sits firmly within the wider global “One Health” agenda, which recognises that the health and wellbeing of humans, biota, and the environment are all closely interconnected and interdependent. As such, holistic transdisciplinary solutions are needed. 

We continuously work to promote globally sustainable solutions to complex pollution related problems, engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders and collaborators to apply fundamental and world leading research to real world challenges. Our research aims to inform and affect environmental protection policy at the international scale. 

ERI also leads UHI’s WaterHub knowledge exchange group which addresses contemporary challenges in drinking water provision, wastewater treatment and resource management in rural and sparsely populated regions of Scotland, and in similar regions elsewhere in Europe and around the world.