Dr Ian Bull

Summary

My research interests broadly encompass the use and development of biomarker and/or compound specific stable isotope methodologies to investigate biogeochemical processes operating within the terrestrial and fresh water environments. Current areas of interest include but are not limited to:

• the molecular fate of organic matter in soil,
• soil faunal food webs and the effect that soil fauna have on the decomposition of soil organic matter,
• use of faecal biomarkers in archaeological and contemporary environmental contexts
• analysis organic pollutants in soils and freshwater,
• chemical proxies for methane emissions in ruminants,
• the decomposition and detection of human and animal remains in soils
• characterisation of soils in forensic investigations

Biography

I obtained a BSc (Hons) degree in Chemistry at the University of Bristol in 1993 then subsequently stayed at Bristol to study for a PhD investigating soil lipids and their application in archaeology and the natural environment. I was awarded my PhD in February 1998 and was then employed as a NERC funded postdoctoral research assistant working on the trophic preferences and interactions of micro and mesofauna found in terrestrial soil systems. This project was carried out in collaboration with The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

In September 2001 I took over management of the Bristol node of the NERC Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry Facility (LSMSF). Since November 2003 I have been employed as a University funded Research Associate and have also continued in my capacity as Manager of the NERC LSMSF Bristol Node. In 2007 I was made a University funded Research Fellow.

Professional memberships and functions

• Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Chartered Chemist
• Affiliate member of the Forensic Science Society
• Membership secretary for the European Association of Organic Geochemists (EAOG)
• Membership secretary for the Forensic Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (FIRMS) network
• Associate editor for Organic Geochemistry
• Associate editior for the European Journal of Soil Science

When not in work I can often be found tramping up a hill in the middle of nowhere.

Ian Bull | Create your badge

Teaching

Current teaching commitments

• Organic Chemistry lectures as part of the Level 1E Chemistry course
• Level 1X/Y Tutorials
• Analytical Chemistry lectures as part of the Level 2 Intermediate Analytical Chemistry course
• Demonstrate in the Level 3 ChemLab laboratories
• L1/L2 Examinations Officier for the Organic and Biological Section

Keywords

• soil organic matter
• environmental chemistry
• forensic science
• archaeological chemistry
• pollution
• analytical methodologies
• stable isotopes
• mass spectrometry
• chromatography
• hyphenated techniques

Memberships

Organisations

School of Chemistry

Chemistry staff

• Chemistry academic staff

Research sections

• Organic and Biological Chemistry

Research areas and groups

• Atmospheric and Global Change Chemistry

Links

•   Personal Website
• Organic Geochemistry Unit (OGU) Website

Selected publications

• Wurster, C, Bird, M, Bull, I, Creed, F, Bryant, C, Dungait, J & Paz, V 2010, ‘Forest contraction in north equatorial Southeast Asia during the Last Glacial Period’. Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society, vol 107., pp. 15508 - 15511
• Gill, F, Dewhurst, R, Dungait, J, Evershed, R, Ives, L, Pancost, R, Sullivan, M, Bera, S & Bull, I 2010, ‘Archaeol – a biomarker for foregut fermentation in modern and ancient herbivorous mammals?’. Organic Geochemistry, vol 41., pp. 467 - 472
• Bull, I, Berstand, R, Vass., A & Evershed, R 2009, ‘Identification of a disinterred grave by molecular and stable isotope analysis’. Science and Justice, vol 49., pp. 142 - 149
• Bull, I, Parekh, N, Hall, G, Ineson, P & Evershed, R 2000, ‘Detection and classification of atmospheric methane oxidizing bacteria in soil’. Nature, vol 405., pp. 175 - 178
• Bull, I, Lockheart, M, Elhmmali, M, Roberts, D & Evershed, R 2002, ‘The origin of faeces by means of biomarker detection’. Environment International, vol 27 (8)., pp. 647 - 654
• Bull, I, Knicker, H, Poirier, N, Porter, H, Scott, A, Sparks, R & Evershed, R 2008, ‘Biomolecular characteristics of an extensive tar layer generated during eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat, West Indies’. Organic Geochemistry, vol 39., pp. 1372 - 1383

Read more >

View complete publications list in the University of Bristol publications system