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Ian Forber

ECG Bulletin January 2015
ECG committee member Ian Forber is the Deputy Technical Manager at ALcontrol Laboratories (Hawarden) and the ECG’s web pages co-ordinator. Here he tells us about his career as an environmental chemist.
Picture
What inspired you to become a scientist? 
I had an interest in and an aptitude for the sciences and mathematics at school. When I finished full time education I very nearly became a bank cashier. Instead I chose to work in a laboratory attached to a metal refinery. As part of the job, I was sent to college on day release to study chemistry through the BTEC NC/HNC system and finally on to university. It was during this time that I realised that chemistry is a lot more interesting than banking. ​
​How did you come to specialise in inorganic analytical chemistry?
In my first job, we mostly analysed metals and metal residues. This suited me well as I have always been more interested in the areas of chemistry involving formulae and calculations with a precise result. My interest in the environmental aspects of chemistry developed from dealing with the Environment Agency following the introduction of Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) Regulations in the mid-1990s. When the opportunity came up to work as a technical specialist at ALcontrol, a laboratory specialising in environmental analysis, I jumped at the chance to work somewhere more closely involved in environmental concerns.
Could you describe your current job?
ALcontrol is a multinational contract laboratory with over 60 laboratories across Europe. The laboratory I work for is the UK’s contaminated land and non-potable waters division. As part of the technical team, I develop and validate new analytical methods, help to support and improve current methods used in routine production analysis, and resolve customer queries. The technical team also undertakes non-routine projects for customers, giving us a chance to think creatively. As Deputy Technical Manager, I also support the Technical Director and cover for him when required.

What advice would you give to anyone considering a career in environmental chemistry?
It can be a rewarding career if you have a genuine interest in the subject. Being truly interested will help you go further in any field and feel more fulfilled in your work. Environmental chemistry covers such a wide scope that I would suggest keeping your options open as you start your studies until you find an area that both suits and interests you.

What are some of the challenges facing the environmental chemistry community?
From an analytical point of view there are always more compounds of environmental interest coming through that will usually need novel analysis methods. There is also constant pressure to lower limits of detection as regulations get tighter. For instance, the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) looks for lower limits of detection for some compounds and different assessment approaches for other compounds.

Traditionally, analysis has aimed to determine the total amounts of compounds in the environment. Today, closer attention is paid to the impact levels of compounds and to which forms of particular compounds are most ecologically toxic. This requires, for example, speciation testing and measurement of bioaccessible levels in the environment. The resulting challenge for the environmental analytical community is to develop ever more complex analytical techniques.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your career so far?
There have been several rewarding times in my career. One that comes to mind was a few years ago when I was asked to join the Environment Agency’s Standing Committee of Analysts (SCA) to develop their ‘Blue Book’ standard method for the analysis of cyanides in soils.

If you weren’t a scientist what would you do?
I would probably have pursued a career in banking or accounting. I might have a better salary, but I am glad that I chose a career that challenges me on an almost daily basis.
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  • Home
  • About
    • Committee
    • Annual reports
  • Environmental Briefs
  • Distinguished Guest Lectures
    • 2022 Disposable Attitude: Electronics in the Environment >
      • Steve Cottle
      • Ian Williams
      • Fiona Dear
    • 2019 Radioactive Waste Disposal >
      • Juliet Long
    • 2018 Biopollution: Antimicrobial resistance in the environment >
      • Andrew Singer
      • Celia Manaia
    • 2017 Inside the Engine >
      • Frank Kelly
      • Claire Holman
      • Jacqui Hamilton
      • Simon Birkett
    • 2016 Geoengineering >
      • Alan Robock
      • Joanna Haigh
      • David Santillo
      • Mike Stephenson
    • 2015 Nanomaterials >
      • Eugenia Valsami-Jones
      • Debora F Rodrigues
      • David Spurgeon
    • 2014 Plastic debris in the ocean >
      • Richard Thompson
      • Norman Billingham
    • 2013 Rare earths and other scarce metals >
      • Thomas Graedel
      • David Merriman
      • Michael Pitts
      • Andrea Sella
      • Adrian Chapman
    • 2012 Energy, waste and resources >
      • RAFFAELLA VILLA
      • PAUL WILLIAMS
      • Kris Wadrop
    • 2011 The Nitrogen Cycle – in a fix?
    • 2010 Technology and the use of coal
    • 2009 The future of water >
      • J.A. (Tony) Allen
      • John W. Sawkins
    • 2008 The Science of Carbon Trading >
      • Jon Lovett
      • Matthew Owen
      • Terry barker
      • Nigel Mortimer
    • 2007 Environmental chemistry in the Polar Regions >
      • Eric Wolff
      • Tim JICKELLS
      • Anna Jones
    • 2006 The impact of climate change on air quality >
      • Michael Pilling
      • GUANG ZENG
    • 2005 DGL Metals in the environment: estimation, health impacts and toxicology
    • 2004 Environmental Chemistry from Space
  • Articles, reviews & updates
    • Articles
    • Reviews
    • Updates
  • Meetings
    • Upcoming meetings
    • Meeting reports
  • Resources
  • Professional Qualifications
  • Index