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Tim Jones

Dr Tim Jones

Reader in Environmental Geoscience

School of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Email
JonesTP@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 29208 74924
Campuses
Main Building, Room Room 3.17, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT
Comment
Media commentator

Overview

Interests

My main research interests are in airborne particulate pollution and geology & human health. This work has mainly concentrated on airborne mineral dust and respiratory health issues, however in recent years I have also been investigating dermal exposures to bioreactive minerals. The health outcomes of respiratory exposure to mineral dusts is very dependant on the mineralogy, from recognised hazards such as asbestos through to the less well understood minerals such as clays. For thousands of years certain clays have be recognised to have medicinal properties, however the actual mechanisms of these benefits are unclear. The great potential in this work is the identification of new natural antimicrobial agents.

Through my supervision of numerous AEG Masters dissertations I am developing a growing interest in the application and advantages of Environmental Assessments. I retain interest in the study of fossil charcoal, which was the subject of my PhD.

Publication

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1997

  • Berube, K. A., Jones, T. P. and Williamson, B. J. 1997. Electron microscopy of urban airborne particulate matter. Microscopy and Analysis 11(1), pp. 11-13.
  • Jones, T. P., Fortier, S. M., Mosbrugger, V., Roessler, J., Utescher, T. and Ashraf, A. R. 1997. 13C/12C ratio double cyclicity in a Miocene browncoal: isotopic signals and orbital. Terra Nova 9(1), pp. 19-23. (10.1046/j.1365-3121.1997.d01-1.x)
  • Jones, T. P., Chaloner, W. G. and Kuhlbusch, T. A. J. 1997. Proposed bio-geological and chemical based terminology for fire-altered plant matter. Presented at: NATO Advanced Study Institute "Biomass Burning Emissions and Global Change", Praia de Alvor, Algarve, Portugal, October 1994 Presented at Clark, J. S. et al. eds.Sediment Records of Biomass Burning and Global Change. NATO ASI Series 1: Global Environmental Change Vol. 51. Berlin: Springer-Verlag pp. 9-22.
  • Robinson, J. M., Chaloner, W. G. and Jones, T. P. 1997. Pre-quaternary records of wildfire. Presented at: NATO Advanced Study Institute "Biomass Burning Emissions and Global Change", Praia de Alvor, Algarve, Portugal, October 1994 Presented at Clark, J. S. et al. eds.Sediment Records of Biomass Burning and Global Change. NATO ASI Series 1: Global Environmental Change Vol. 51. Berlin: Springer-Verlag pp. 253-269.
  • Jones, T. P. 1997. Fusain in late Jurassic sediments from the Witch Ground Graben, North Sea, UK. Presented at: 4th European Palaeobotanical and Palynological Conference, Heerlen/Kerkrade, The Netherlands, 19-23 September 1994 Presented at Herngreen, G. F. W. ed.Proceedings of the 4th European Palaeobotanical and Palynological Conference: Heerlen/Kerkrade, 19-23 September 1994. Mededelingen Nederlands Instituut voor Toegepaste Geowetenschappen TNO Vol. 58. Haarlem, Netherlands: Mededelingen Nederlands Instituut voor Toegepaste Geowetenschappen TNO - National Geological Survey pp. 93-104.

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Articles

Book sections

Conferences

Monographs

Research

I have interests in particulate airborne pollution and human respiratory health. Specific particles of interest are geologically-sourced such as, volcanic ash, desert storm dust, and quarry dust. Research is now concentrating on 'toxic' cocktails of mineral dusts and anthropogenic emissions from fossil fuel burning. More recently I have been researching the potential positive and negative affects of bioreactive minerals such as clays. These clays are associated with specific diseases usually of poorer people, and there is growing interest in the antimicrobial properties of certain minerals. I am co-leader of the 'Airborne Particles and Lungs' Research Group, a long-running interdisciplinary collaboration, which monitors, collects, characterises, and determines the bioreactivity of particles.

I retain an interest in fossil charcoal; the subject of my Ph.D.

Teaching

Undergraduate teaching: I contribute towards modules and fieldtrips in the environmental geosciences.

Postgraduate teaching: I am module leader in contaminated land, transferable skills, environmental impact assessment in the Masters in Applied Environmental Geology. The teaching involves, lecturing, practicals and fieldtrips.

Biography

  • 2015- present: Reader. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences. Director of Environmental Geoscience undergraduate scheme.
  • 2005-2015: Senior Lecturer, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences. Director of Taught Postgraduate Programmes.
  • 2001- 2005: Lecturer, School of Earth, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Cardiff University. NERC Wales facilitator. Guest Professor China University of Mining and Technology.
  • 1998-2001: Senior Research Associate, NERC-URGENT thematic programme on urban regeneration. School of Biosciences. Cardiff University.
  • 1995-1998: University Research Associate and University Research Fellow, Dept. Earth Sciences, Cardiff University, U.K.
  • 1993-1995: Humboldt Research Fellow, Institut und Museum fuer Geologie und Palaeontologie, Eberhard-Karls-Universitaet Tuebingen, Germany.
  • 1992-1993: Assistant Professor, Institut und Museum fuer Geologie und Palaeontologie, Eberhard-Karls-Universitaet Tuebingen, Germany.
  • 1991-1992: Post-doctoral researcher, R.H.B.N.C. Stable isotopes and palaeoenvironments of the UK Tertiary.
  • 1988-91: Ph.D. at R.H.B.N.C., Geology/Biology, University of London.

Supervisions

Each year I supervise between 10 to 15 Applied Environmental Geology Masters students. The placement projects are worth 60 credits, out of a total of 120 credits for the degree, and typically are in contaminated land or environmental assessments at specific sites that are under contract to the industrial placement companies.

Impact

Particulate air pollution: collection, characterisation and human health effects. I am on the Welsh Government Advisory Group on Clean Air.

Bioreactive minerals: adverse and positive health effects. Providing research outputs that advise on the human health impacts of minerals.