Professor Paul Kay
- Position: Professor of Water Science
- Areas of expertise: Water quality; hydrology
- Email: P.Kay@leeds.ac.uk
- Phone: +44(0)113 343 3328
- Location: 10.35 Garstang
Profile
My research investigates the impacts of land-use on hydrology and water quality. More specifically, I have focused on three main areas:
- the occurence, fate and effects of emerging contaminants in the environment
- the impact of agriculture on water quality and the effectiveness of stewardship measures, and
- sewage pollution of rivers.
I have, thus, worked on a variety of pollutants including microplastics, human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, pesticides, nutrients, DOC and sediment. This work has been funded by a variety of organisations including the European Union, NERC, EPSRC, Defra, the Environment Agency, Natural England and the water industry.
Responsibilities
- Associate Director, Water@Leeds
Research interests
My research investigates the impacts of human activity on water quality and I have foucssed on the occurence, fate and effects of emerging contaminants such as microplastics and pharmaceuticals as well as more traditional pollutants including nutrients and metals. I have mainly looked at agriculture and sewage discharges as sources of these pollutants. Some current projects are listed below:
Future Fibres Network+
CoI
Funded by UKRI
2024-25
DELIVER
CoI
Funded by Innovate UK
2023-25
Qualifications
- PhD, Hydrology/water quality, Cranfield University
- BSc (Hons) Geography, University of Northumbria
Professional memberships
- Chartered Scientist (CSci)
- Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv)
- Member of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (MCIWEM).
- Member of the British Hydrological Society
Student education
PhD Supervision
I would be interested in supervising PhDs on topics such as:
- Hydrology and water quality
- Microplastics
- Emerging contaminants
Current PhD students
- Beth Adams: Degradation of veterinary medicines in poultry litter.
- Di Wu: Aquatic effects of microplastics.
- Linda Chen: Microplastics in soil and effects on plants.
- Tom Nash: Genotoxic effects of microplastics on Daphnia.
- Olivia Skilbeck: Degradation of natural and plastic textile fibres in the environment.
- Rob Hiscoe: Environmental occurence and fate of microplastics.
- Graeme Shaw: Anthelmintic occurrence and fate on grouse moors.
Research groups and institutes
- River Basin Processes and Management