Dr Brad Angel: Environmental Chemist and Ecotoxicologist

Dr Brad Angel's research is investigating the concentrations and impacts of metal and nanoparticulate contaminants in aquatic environments.

• 31 August 2010 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Current activities
• Background
• Academic qualifications
• Achievements
• Professional activities

Current activities

Dr Brad Angel is an Environmental Chemist and Ecotoxicologist within the Environmental Biogeochemistry Program in CSIRO Land and Water.

His research on the fate and effects of trace metal contaminants in marine environments, formerly within the Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research, is currently delivered through two flagships – Water for a Healthy Country and Wealth from Oceans.

His research on the characterisation of the physicochemical properties and potential risks of manufactured nanoparticles in aquatic systems is currently delivered through the Advanced Materials Transformational Capability platform.

Research topics of special interest have included:

• characterisation of the physicochemical properties of metal nanoparticles and assessment of their toxicity to aquatic organisms
• the development of biochemical assays to investigate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by selected metal-based nanomaterials as potential mechanisms of toxicity in algae
• the effects of fluctuating copper exposure to marine organisms
• the uptake (during exposure) and elimination (after exposure) of copper in marine algae and the effects on cell ultrastructure
• sources and behaviour of metal contaminants at Port Curtis, Queensland
• the preparation of spiked sediments for whole-sediment toxicity testing
• acid sulphate soils in the Murray River
• the effects of deep-sea tailings disposal on metal contamination.
  Dr Angel has over eight years' experience in the areas of environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology.

Background

Dr Angel has over eight years' experience in the areas of environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology.

He is an expert in ultra trace metal sampling and analyses and proficient using ecotoxicological testing to assess the effects of metal exposure to marine organisms (bacteria, microalgae, and amphipods).

He has undertaken many commercial projects for mining and resource companies, particularly speciation and low-level metal analyses.

Academic qualifications

Dr Angel was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of Wollongong, New South Wales, in 2009.

Achievements

Dr Angel is an author of eight peer-reviewed journal articles, one book chapter and eight CSIRO research investigation reports on environmental risk assessment.  

He has given eight presentations at scientific conferences both in Australia and overseas.

He has also accomplished the following achievements:

• Deans Award for Academic Excellence (Faculty of Informatics), University of Wollongong, 1998
• Deans Merit List for Academic Performance (Faculty of Science), University of Wollongong, 1999–2002
• Matching scholarship award, University of Wollongong / CSIRO Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research, 2003–07
• highly commended first year presentation of PhD work at annual university chemistry departmental conference, Faculty of Science, University of Wollongong, 2004
• Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE) Research Award, 2005
• significant contributions to the CSIRO Handbook for Sediment Quality Assessment, acknowledged in the 2006 Eureka Award for Water Research and in the 2006 CSIRO Research Achievement medal, 2006
• highly commended poster presented at the SETAC World Congress in Sydney, 2008.

Professional activities

Dr Angel is a member of the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

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