Position: Professor in Environmental Radioactivity
General interests
My research focuses on the exposure and effects of ionising radiation on wildlife from all sources of release including from the nuclear industry, accidents (e.g. Chernobyl) and small user sources such as from hospitals and research institutes. The study of radionuclides can also tell us about the fate and behaviour of non-radioactive contaminants (e.g. heavy metals, persistent organic compounds) in the environment and consequently I have an interest in how environmental contaminants in general impact on the environment. Specifically, I have been involved in the development of scientific approaches to evaluate the biological impact of contaminants (primarily radionuclides) on wildlife and through this have been elected to the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Committee 5 on environmental protection from ionising radiation since 2009. The ICRP make recommendations which influence national legislation in every country where radioactive substances are used. I am the chair of a new Task Group for the ICRP looking at the application of environmental protection within the ICRP radiological system of protection.
Find me at my Researchgate page and/or my Stirling University page
Academic background
BSc (Hons) Applied Biology (2.1) Imperial College, London 1992
PhD (The food chain transfer of radionuclides through semi-natural habitats); University of Liverpool; 1996
1992 – 1998 Research Student progressing to Research Assistant, and Senior Research Assistant, School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool
Chartered Biologist, The Society of Biology, 1996
1998 – 2003 Radioecology Group Manager, Environmental Research and Consultancy (ERC), University of Liverpool
2003 – 2004 Research Fellow and University Teacher, School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool
Chartered Radiation Protection Professional, The Society for Radiological Protection, 2007
2004 – 2010 Honorary Research Fellow, University of Liverpool
2004 – 2010 Principal Scientist – Radioactive Substances, Environment Agency
2010 – 2015 Senior Lecturer, University of Stirling
2015 – now Professor, University of Stirling
Notable publications
- Brown, J. E.; Alfonso, B.; Avila, R.; Beresford, N. A.; Copplestone, D.; Proehl, G.; A Ulanovsky, A. (2008) The ERICA Tool, Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 99, 1371-1383, 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2008.01.008
- Copplestone, D.; Hingston, J.; Real, A. (2008) The development and purpose of the FREDERICA radiation effects database, Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 99, 1456-1463, 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2008.01.006
- Beresford, N. A.; Barnett, C. L.; Howard, B. J.; Scott, W. A.; Brown, J. E.; Copplestone, D. (2008) Derivation of transfer parameters for use within the ERICA Tool and the default concentration ratios for terrestrial biota, Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 99, 1393-1407, 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2008.01.020
- Andersson, P. ; Garnier-Laplace, J. ; Beresford, N. A. ; Copplestone, D.; Howard, B. J. ; Howe, P. ; Oughton, D. ; Whitehouse, P. (2009) Protection of the environment from ionising radiation in a regulatory context (protect): proposed numerical benchmark values, Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 100, 1100-1108, 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2009.05.010
- Garnier-Laplace, J.; Della-Vedova, C.; Gilbin, R.; Copplestone, D.; Hingston, J.; Ciffroy, P. (2006) First derivation of predicted-no-effect values for freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems exposed to radioactive substances, Environmental Science and Technology, 40, 6498-6505, 10.1021/es0606531
- Beresford, N. A.; Barnett, C. L.; Brown, J. E.; Cheng, J. J.; Copplestone, D.; Filistovic, V.; Hosseini, A.; Howard, B. J.; Jones, S. R…. (2008) Inter-comparison of models to estimate radionuclide activity concentrations in non-human biota, Radiation and Biophysics, 47, 491-514, 10.1007/s00411-008-0186-8
- Howard, B. J.; Beresford, N. A.; Copplestone, D.; Telleria, D.; Proehl, G…. (2013) The IAEA handbook on radionuclide transfer to wildlife, Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 121,55-74, 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2012.01.027
- Garnier-Laplace, J.; Copplestone, D.; Gilbin, R.; Alonzo, F.; Ciffroy, P…. (2008) Issues and practices in the use of effects data from FREDERICA in the ERICA Integrated Approach, Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 99, 1474-1483,10.1016/j.jenvrad.2008.04.012
- Fox, W. M.; Johnson, M. S. ; Jones, S. R. ; Leah, R. T.; Copplestone, D. (1999) The use of sediment cores from stable and developing salt marshes to reconstruct historical contamination profiles in the Mersey Estuary, UK Marine and Environmental Research, 47, 311-329
- Howard, B. J.; Beresford, N. A.; Andersson, P.; Brown, J. E.; Copplestone, D.; Beaugelin-Seiller, K.; Garnier-Laplace, J.; Howe, P. D.; Oughton, D.; Whitehouse, P. (2010) Protection of the environment from ionising radiation in a regulatory context-an overview of the PROTECT coordinated action project, Journal of Radiological Protection, 30, 195-214, 10.1088/0952-4746/30/2/S01