Mr Martin D. West, BSc, MSc(Eng), AMIChemE, MIScT

Contact Mr Martin D. West (email at m.d.west@durham.ac.uk)

Biography

I have over 20 years of experience working in various technical roles in industry and academia. Prior to joining the university as a research technician in 2005, I was the principle chemist and senior chemist in two local UKAS/MCERTS accredited contract laboratories where I was responsible for supervising a small team of analysts.

Joining the university allowed me to get more directly involved with analytical research and development, a part of the job that I most enjoy. In 2010 I was promoted to grade 7 senior research technician with direct responsibility for the day-to-day running of the chemical analysis laboratories within the department.

Responsibilities within department

• Management of the Analytical Laboratory.
• Management of the Gamma Spectroscopy Laboratory.
• Management of the Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) facilties.
• Provide advice, training and supervision for the uses of the laboratory facilities.
• Method/Instrument development and validation.
• Instrument maintenance and repair.

Expertise/Specialisations:

• GC-IRMS, EA-IRMS.
• GC/MS (including pyrolysis-GC/MS, CI-GC/MS).
• LC-MS/MS.
• Gamma Spectroscopy/Gamma dating.
• ICP-MS.
• UV-vis Spectrometry.

Other Analytical Techniques

• Elemental Analysis (CHNSO) by combustion.
• TOC/DOC/TN (in waters by combustion).
• IC and IC/MS.
• GC-FID.
• GC-TOF
• ICP-OES.
• AAS (HG-AAS).
• Bomb Calorimetry.
• XRF.
• Various extractions/titrations/colorimetric procedures and associated instruments.

Selected Publications

• 1: Morley, Peter, Jump, Alistair, West, Martin David & Donoghue, Daniel (2020). Spectral response of chlorophyll content during leaf senescence in European beech trees. Environmental Research Communications
• 2: Wang, J., Howarth, J.D., McClymont, E.L., Densmore, A.L., Fitzsimons, S.J., Croissant, T., Groecke, D.R., West, M.D., Harvey, E., Frith, N.V., Garnett, M.H. & Hilton, R.G. (2020). Long-term patterns of hillslope erosion by earthquake-induced landslides shape mountain landscapes. Science Advances 6(23): eaaz6446.
• 3: Johnson, K.L., McCann, C.M., Wilkinson, J.L., Jones, M., Tebo, B.M., West, M., Elgy, C., Clarke, C.E., Gowdy, C. & Hudson-Edwards, K.A. (2018). Dissolved Mn(III) in Water Treatment Works: Prevalence and Significance. Water Research 140: 181-190.

Show all publications