Skip to main content

Research Theme: Health, Environment and Society

Our research is improving human and environmental health across the world.

We are working towards a cleaner, safer, sustainable planet that will provide benefits for everyone. Our research is improving human and environmental health across the world.

Our innovative research contributes to a more sustainable environment. We develop novel solutions that tackle threats to health. We use cutting-edge technology to provide a cleaner, safer world. Our environmental engineering work delivers societal and economic benefits.

Cars driving along Tower Bridge in London UK during the evening.

Our research

Air quality

It is a fundamental right of every citizen to have access to clean air. But many cities around the world are experiencing poor air quality. Human activities and rapid urbanisation are major contributors to this.

Air pollution is the top environmental risk to human health in the world. In the UK, it is the fourth greatest threat to public health after cancer, heart disease, and obesity. It makes us more susceptible to respiratory infections and other illnesses. It occurs both indoors and outdoors. World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that air pollution causes around 7 million deaths per year. In the UK, the figure ranges from 29,000 to 50,000, costing £20bn to the economy.

To provide clean air, we need to identify the sources of air pollution. We need to investigate how the levels of air pollution have both spatial and temporal variations. We need to investigate the physical and chemical characteristics of air pollutants. We need to understand the dispersion of pollution. We need to explore the exposure of individuals and communities to pollution in their daily routines.

Sustainable aquaculture in Thailand

We are developing a framework for sustainable aquaculture within peri-urban green infrastructures. This will protect the Gulf of Thailand from eutrophication.

There is an increasing global demand for aquaculture produce. In response, Thailand has developed intensive farming methods. Vast tracts of land now consist of low biodiversity aquaculture ponds. The ponds are vulnerable to pollution and novel shrimp and fish diseases. Also, rapid metropolitan growth has resulted in very poor water quality in urban drainage canals. Many of these canals provide water for coastal aquaculture.

Urban pollution causes algae blooms in aquaculture ponds, with and without nutrient addition. The cost to the Thai economy from algae blooms and novel shrimp and fish diseases amounts to billions of pounds.

We are working with Thai government officials and small-scale aquaculture producers. We are carrying out a critical analysis of water policies and innovative aquaculture practices.

We will disseminate our environmental engineering research to small-scale producers. We will describe to them innovative methods for water quality management. These methods include biochar amended biofilters. The filters can provide high biodiversity buffer zones between aquaculture ponds and canals. The research also includes novel methods for microbial pollution source tracking. It covers characterisation of aquaculture microbiomes and their vulnerability to pathogen invasion.

We will investigate the willingness of farmers to adopt such practices and management methods. We will find out the support and incentives needed to ensure the uptake of best practice.

Antibacterial clay therapy

Antimicrobial resistance is a global concern. It requires innovative and lateral approaches to combat the threat to human health. Traditional medicine has used clay for centuries, either topically or by ingestion. It is antibacterial and is still used to treat infections in many parts of the world.

Many pathogens are now drug-resistant. We need new antimicrobial agents and materials to tackle them.

Clays have unique antibacterial properties that offer considerable health benefits. We are investigating the constituents and antibacterial properties of therapeutic clays. We are also looking at the political, social, and cultural contexts that may inform future medical applications.

We are evaluating clay from the Baku region of Azerbaijan as an antibacterial agent. The clay has potential for treating wound infections. We will define its structure and composition. We will assess its antibacterial efficacy against representative bacterial species.

Clay use in the treatment of infections is not well characterised. We will take a broader, humanities-driven approach to investigate this. We will explore the different therapeutic uses of clay. We will investigate the types of infection and the kinds of social interactions.

CADTIME: Clean Air for Delhi Through Interventions, Mitigations and Engagement

CADTIME brings together a consortium of institutions and experts from across both India and the United Kingdom. We are addressing air quality issues that affect people's health in Delhi.

This project is investigating how to deliver significant reductions in levels of air pollution in the Indian capital. Interventions must be affordable and effective. They must consider and respond to future changes.

CADTIME is part of a larger consortium of five projects, running concurrently. They are all part of the 'Atmospheric Pollution and Human Health in an Indian Megacity' (APHH India) programme.

  • Project leader
  • Project team
    • Newcastle University
    • The University of the West of England
      • Dr Jo Barnes
      • Dr Laura De Vito
      • Prof Enda Hayes
      • Prof James Longhurst
    • Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India
      • Prof Shiva Nagendra
  • Sponsors
  • Funding programme
    • APHH (Air Pollution and Human Health in Megacity Delhi)
  • Dates
    • November 2016 to March 2022
CORONA: City Observatory Research Platform for Innovation and Analytics

CORONA brings together internationally recognised researchers and stakeholders. We are delivering early research outputs from the UK’s Urban Observatories (UOs).

Urban Observatories provide new understanding about urban processes. They provide insights into process interactions across sectors and scales. Thus, they improve environmental engineering and planning decisions.

Newcastle, Bristol, and Sheffield comprise the first wave of UKCRIC UO cities. CORONA is using research outputs to develop the processes and technology for the second wave of UKCRIC UOs.

Processes include:

  • governance
  • standards
  • entrepreneurship

Technological instruments include:

  • data standards
  • technology
  • integrating quantitative and qualitative urban monitoring data

The research outputs also inform the UKCRIC research objectives.

  • Project leader
  • Project team
    • Newcastle University
    • University of Sheffield
      • Prof Martin Mayfield
      • Dr Daniel Coca
      • Dr Danielle Densley Tingley
    • Bristol University
      • Dr Theo Tryfonas
      • Dr Patrick Tully
    • University of Birmingham
      • Prof Lee Chapman
      • Prof Chris Rogers
    • Cranfield University
      • Prof Jim Harris
      • Dr Simon Jude
    • University of Manchester
      • Prof James Evans
      • Dr David Topping
    • University College London
      • Prof Nick Tyler
  • Sponsors
  • Dates
    • February 2018 to April 2020
Gene sequencing for water quality management

We are developing portable next generation gene sequencing technology. This technology will provide microbial water quality management and disease prevention in aquaculture. It will avoid excessive use of antibiotics/disinfectants.

Conventional methods for combating microbial diseases include the use of antibiotics and disinfectants. These methods are highly problematic. Other, more innovative methods need advanced tools for monitoring. Next generation sequencing (NGS) can provide the information needed to maintain resilient ecosystems.

Antibiotics are life-saving medicines in treating human diseases. Their use in agriculture reduces their effectiveness and leads to antibiotics resistance.

Disinfectants like chlorine form unwanted by-products. They kill both good and bad microbes. Eliminating beneficial microorganisms makes aquacultures more vulnerable to invasion by pathogens.

More innovative methods include probiotics and water biofiltration and recirculation schemes. They avoid the excessive use of problematic chemicals. They are thus able to maintain aquacultures as resilient ecosystems in which sudden stock losses are less likely to occur. These new methods need in-depth understanding of aquaculture microbiology. This understanding requires advanced tools for monitoring.

Next generation sequencing (NGS) can provide near real-time monitoring of microbial communities. We are bringing these benefits within reach of aquaculture farmers. Newcastle University is working with King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) in Thailand. We are training KMUTT staff in the use of the NGS tool MinION. Developed by Oxford Nanopore Technologies, MinION is a portable, real-time device for DNA and RNA sequencing. We will then work together to develop the use of NGS for microbial community monitoring and management in aquacultures. We will demonstrate the benefits of the tool at case study aquaculture farms.

  • Academic staff
    • School of Engineering
    • KMUTT
      • Dr Soydoa Vinitnantharat
      • Dr Sawannee Sutheeworapong
      • Ms Pawinee Patanachan
      • Dr Pawinee Chaiprasert
  • Researchers
    • School of Engineering
      • Mr Adrian Blackburn
    • KMUTT
      • Mr Bundit Tirachulee
      • Ms Rattikan Neamchan
      • Ms Thunchanok Thongsamer
      • Mr Thanee Dawrueng
  • Sponsors
    • Newton Fund, British Council, Office of the Higher Education Commission
  • Partners
    • Small-scale aquaculture farmers in Thailand (six case study sites)
  • Dates
    • 2019-2020
Tracking SARS-CoV-2 levels using sewage

We are employing sewage epidemiology to quantify and predict SARS-CoV-2 levels in UK and Spanish communities.

Sewage epidemiology is now used around the world to address the Covid-19 pandemic. Our work here is to develop local solutions, but also to assist global efforts, by developing tools for predicting spread at a much earlier stage.

Like other microbes, non-infectious genetic residues of viruses can remain in wastewater systems. These residues are in locations where infected people use the toilet.

We are sampling sewage from different sub-catchments in North East England and in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. We are quantifying concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 (the Covid-19 virus) and other biomarkers in local sewage. We then relate the data back to human population numbers, especially Covid-19 cases, within each sub-catchment.

From this, we will develop an integrated numerical susceptible-exposed-infected-removed (SEIR) model. This will help public health officials identify possible infection ‘hot spots’ based on sewage markers. The monitoring and SEIR model will be especially helpful in places with higher levels of asymptomatic people. SARS-CoV-2 patient testing often misses these individuals.

iBuild: financing infrastructure systems

Financing infrastructure has an influence on its building, use, and dismantling. We need a sustainable transition of infrastructure systems across the world. iBuild investigates the provision and governance to achieve this.

Recent developments capture synergies within industrial parks. New business models propose how to finance these. Other developments determine lock-in values of existing infrastructure systems and building stocks. These include economic, social and environmental values.

iBuild is quantifying the impact that financing, use, quality and equity of infrastructure provision can have. We are considering the impact not only on investors, but also on society as a whole. We are considering infrastructure provision such as bridges, energy, and roads.

IMAGINE: Innovative Technologies for rapidly surveying, mapping and communicating waterborne hazards

Portable gene sequencing equipment is a versatile technology. We are using it to assess microbial water quality.

Newcastle University is collaborating with Ardhi University in Tanzania for the method development. We will then carry out field testing in Dar es Salaam. We will establish suitable methods and skills in Tanzania by the end of the project.

We are integrating water quality assessment methods with digital technologies. We store the data in a remote database. This provides us with immediate data curation, interpretation and visualisation.

These technologies will assist surveyors with their field work. They will make surveying data accessible to the public. We are developing a hazard communication tool. It will provide location aware, multi-platform hazard maps. It will contain in-app links to contextual information. This will include health impacts, practical advice, observational metadata, and WHO information.

    • Academic staff
    • Researchers
    • School of Engineering
    • Ardhi University
      • Ms Franella Halla
      • Mr Said Maneno
      • Ms Elihaika Joseph
      • Mr Nelson Msacky
    • Sponsors
      • EPSRC, GCRF
    • Partner
      • Oxford Nanopore Technologies
    • Dates
      • 2017-2020

 

Modelling antimicrobial resistance spread in aquatic systems in emerging countries

The global increase of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest threats to health. Based on current trends, AMR will cost up to 100 trillion USD and result in up to 10 million deaths every year by 2050. The burden of AMR is greatest in emerging countries. In emerging countries, increasing economic wealth permits greater use of antibiotics. But poor waste management leads to wider spread.

We can observe the dramatic effect of AMR in emerging countries in their river systems. River systems are distributors of raw or inadequately treated sewage. The sewage includes antibiotics and antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes. But no AMR-focused, river quality model yet exists for predicting exposure risks in emerging countries. Our research will address this.

We will carry out extensive monitoring of water quality, resistant bacteria, genes, and antibiotics. We will then use the monitoring data in a parameterised numerical model to guide policy.

We are undertaking this research in Malaysia on the Skudai River. The river passes from rural areas to highly polluted areas in urban Johor Bahru. Malaysia is an ideal case study. It was one of the first regions where resistance to colistin was detected. It includes a range of pollutant sources and different levels of waste treatment. This allows for contrast of different sources and water quality consequences.

  • Academic staff
  • Researchers
    • Ms Amelie Ott
  • Sponsor
    • Faculty of Science, Agriculture & Engineering Singapore Scholarship
  • Partners
    • National University of Singapore
    • University Teknologi Malaysia
    • Chinese Academy of Science - Xiamen
  • Dates
    • 2017-2020
Multiscale characterisation of complex materials using a combination of atomic force microscopy and optical coherence tomography

We are using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) to map 3D geometry. A range of industrial, academic and health applications use these technologies. They contribute to predictive models.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has a very high resolution of fractions of a nanometre. A wide range of natural science applications, from solid state physics to molecular biology, uses AFM.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) captures micrometre-resolution images. It captures images from within optical scattering media such as biological tissue. Medical imaging and industrial nondestructive testing (NDT) use OCT.

Together with the existing facilities at Newcastle, these technologies can map 3D geometry. They can carry out mechanical characterisation from sub-nanometre to millimetre scale. They allow us to study properties of soft matter. We can investigate disease progression at subcellular, cellular, and tissue levels. Thus, we can devise effective diagnostic techniques and treatment strategies.

They can also provide datasets for predictive models in healthcare and water engineering. The multiscale quantitative measurement underpins a range of academic and industrial projects, including:

  • marine biofilms
  • biological wastewater treatment
  • biofilm infections
  • tissue engineering
  • cancer research

 

Quantifying perceptions of antibiotic resistance and its causes to promote decentralised wastewater treatment

Antibiotic resistance (AR) levels are rising on global scales. This is especially so in places without clean water and adequate sanitation. But many people in such areas are unaware of the problem. We need a better understanding of people’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices about AR. This will enable us to develop interventions aimed at behaviour change. Such interventions can then be fine-tuned and appropriately implemented.

Antibiotic resistance (AR) is a natural phenomenon. But recent elevated antibiotic use has increased levels of AR. This has made many antibiotics useless in the treatment of bacterial infections.

We are investigating knowledge, perceptions and attitudes towards AR drivers, spread, and mitigation. We are making comparisons among and between various cohorts in:

  • human medical practitioners and students
  • animal health practitioners
  • wastewater and sanitation professionals and students
  • members of the public

This specific research is targeting study cohorts in Delhi (India), the UK, and Israel. We will promote decentralised wastewater treatment as an AR mitigation approach. We will identify education targets. We will suggest key actions to promote changes in national and international policy,

  • Academic staff
  • Researchers
    • School of Engineering
    • School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences
      • Dr Gopal
  • Sponsor
    • EPSRC
  • Partner
    • CURE (India)
  • Dates
  • 2019-2020
RAMSES: Urban plans

Cities are where local action and climate change adaptation and mitigation commitments meet. Many commitments are at national and international levels. Thus, cities play a key role in developing and implementing climate change programmes.

Synergies and trade-offs between mitigation and adaptation are especially felt by cities. They need to have plans to tackle such challenges.

RAMSES looked at patterns of local plans. We investigated the influence of local, national or international policies and networks. RAMSES Reconciling Adaptation, Mitigation and Sustainable Development for citiES comprised leading European scientific institutions, an international organisation and three SMEs.

  • Dates
    • 2012–2017
ReLiB: Reuse and Recycling of Lithium Ion Batteries

The automotive sector uses lithium ion (li-ion) batteries in electric vehicles. ReLiB investigates sustainable management of these batteries when they reach the end of their useful life.

ReLiB will establish the infrastructure to optimise material management from lithium-ion batteries. This will improve the EU-wide recycling chain. It will add a secure supply of raw materials by recovering valuable materials from waste streams.

The cross-disciplinary team of researchers are from renowned research organisations. They have established links to international partners across the globe.

Our support includes Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for all end-of-life recycling scenarios investigated. This includes environmental credits and avoided impacts from reuse of the recovered materials. We will benchmark recycling and reuse processes against primary production of materials. The project, industrial partners and literature provide input and output inventory data. We will use this data to inform our LCAs.

Our work also informs the business model, value chain, and economic analysis of the new systems.

Tackling AMR in wastewater systems with sneaky bacteria

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) reduce levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes and bacteria. But occasionally, they also select for multidrug resistance bacteria.

Multidrug resistant bacteria contain genetically mobile elements.

This is partly because of how we separate biosolids WWTPs. But it may also be due to novel intrinsic traits of some bacteria who can resist antimicrobials under any conditions. For example, some bacteria can switch to a reversible, cell-wall deficient state called the L-form. This results in broad resistance to any antimicrobials that can act on cell wall synthesis pathways. Thus, L-form cells are multidrug resistant (MDR).

L-form bacteria often look like bubbles when they develop this unusual state. The picture is of a highly resistant E. coli as an L-form. This E. coli is normally a short rod and 1000 times more susceptible than this strain.

We are isolating and identifying L-form bacteria from wastewater systems. We are investigating the role these bacteria play in the selection of AMR, in particular multidrug resistance in WWTPs.

We are also assessing more ecological explanations for elevated MDR strains. This includes selective predation.

Undergraduate
Postgraduate research
Postgraduate taught