Home page

CAPIM collaborates with government and industry on interdisciplinary pollution research that provides solutions for a healthier, safer and more sustainable future.

The Centre for Anthropogenic Pollution Impact and Management (CAPIM) is an interdisciplinary research centre based at the University of Melbourne. We collaborate with our partners to ensure both research excellence and real-world impact.

Our interdisciplinary research concentrates on the identification of pollution in the environment – in water, soil, air and waste – and impact assessments and management strategies for human health and ecological sustainability.

Our expertise includes:

Traditional pollutants (e.g. metals, nitrogen and hydrocarbons);
Emerging contaminants such as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and microplastics; and
Nonchemical pollutants, such as light and noise.

Our research provides evidence-based outcomes that are used by government, industry and the community to determine risks, make decisions and more safely manage polluted environments.

About CAPIM membership

Our interdisciplinary team of researchers have expertise in:

Human health and environmental risk assessment
Chemical fate and behaviour
(Eco)toxicology including humans, vertebrates, invertebrates, plants and microbes
Exposure science
Environmental and analytical chemistry
Environmental forensics
Modelling and pollutant transport
Decision making and science communication
Engineering and remediation

We deliver science for:

Development and implementation of policy and regulation
Regulatory decision making
Contaminated site assessments and audits
Pollution impact risk assessment and management
Informing sustainable and safe practices
Contaminated site clean-up and remediation
Support for adoption of novel and innovative technologies and approaches
Commercializing novel pollution technologies
New patents

CAPIM acknowledges the Traditional Owners as the original custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We acknowledge the historic dislocation and dispossession of their lands and celebrate the extraordinary resilience of the oldest living culture on the planet. We pay respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Our People

Meet our interdisciplinary team representing a diverse range of research disciplines, industry and government perspectives.

Meet the CAPIM Team

Contact Us

Membership / Collaboration enquiries: contact the CAPIM Director

About CAPIM membership

General enquiries: CAPIM-info@unimelb.edu.au

Centre for Anthropogenic Pollution Impact and Management
Biosciences 4, Royal Pde
School of Biosciences, the University of Melbourne
Parkville, Victoria 3052
Australia

CAPIM is an interdisciplinary research organisation. We collaborate with government and industry on interdisciplinary pollution that delivers research excellence and real-world impact for a healthier, safer and more sustainable future.

Collaborate with CAPIM to be part of:

Driving the pollution agenda in Australia and globally.
Research on emerging pollution issues, techniques and technologies at the forefront of pollution research.
Access to cutting edge knowledge and technology.

CAPIM Brochure

CAPIM prospectus

Become a CAPIM member

Click below for information about collaboration opportunities for industry and government, as well as Honours, Masters, PhD and postdoctoral opportunities for students.

Opportunities for industry and government

Opportunities for students and postdoctoral fellows

CAPIM is an interdisciplinary research organisation. We collaborate with government and industry on pollution research and projects that provides solutions for a healthier, safer and more sustainable future.

Understanding the impacts and managing pollution is challenging. It requires expertise across multiple disciplines such as biology, chemistry and engineering, legal, economics and and social science which is often beyond the internal capacity of a individual organisation.

Government and industry need information and solutions they can rely on, that are evidence-based and work in the real-world.

Learn more about CAPIM research and projects, and our network of facilities.

Current Projects

Network of Facilities

2021

Death, C., Bell, C., Champnessa, D., Milne, C., Reichman, S. and Hagen, T., 2021. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in livestock and game species: A review. Science of the Total Environment. 774: 144795, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144795

Moodie, D., Coggan, T., Berry, K., Kolobaric, A., Fernandes, M., Lee, E., Reichman, S., Nugegoda, D. and Clarke B.O. 2021. Legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in Australian biosolids. Chemosphere. 270: 129143, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129143

De Silva, S. Ball, A.S., Indrapala, D.V., Reichman, S.M., 2021. Review of the interactions between vehicular emitted potentially toxic elements, roadside soils, and associated biota, Chemosphere, 263: 128135, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128135.

2020

Alcantara, H.J.P., Jativa, F., Doronila, .I., Anderson, C.W.N., Siegele, R., Spassov, T.G., Sanchez-Palacios, J.T., Boughton, B.A. and Kolev, S.D. 2020. Localization of mercury and gold in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz). Environmental Science and Pollution Research 27(15): 18498–509, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08285-3.

Askland, M., Clarke, B.O., Cheema, A.A., Mendez, A.,Gasco, G. and Paz-Ferreiro, J. 2020. Biochar sorption of PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS and PFHxA in two soils with contrasting texture. Chemosphere 249: 126072, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126072.

Bahrami, S., Yaftian, M.R., Najvak. P., Dolatyari, L., Shayani-Jam, H., and Kolev, S.D. 2020. PVDF-HFP based polymer inclusion membranes containing cyphos (R) IL 101 and aliquat (R) 336 for the removal of Cr(VI) from sulfate solutions. Separation and Purification Technology 250: 117251, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2020.117251.

Behroozi, A., Arora, M., Fletcher, T.D., and Western, A.W. 2020. Sorption and transport behavior of zinc in the soil: implications for stormwater management. Geoderma, 367: 114243, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114243.

Carner, C.A., Crofts, C.F., Kolev, S.D., and Almeida, M.I.G.S. Green solvents for the fabrication of polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs). Separation and Purification Technology 239: 116486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2019.116486.

de Silva, S., Huynh, T., Ball, A.S., Indrapala, D.V. and Reichman, S.M. 2020 Measuring soil metal bioavailability in roadside soils of different ages. Environments 7: 91, doi:10.3390/environments7100091. (https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/7/10/91, open access)

Durrant, J., Green, M.P. and Jones, T.M. Dim artificial light at night reduces the cellular immune response of the black field cricket, Teleogryllus commodus. Insect Science 27: 571–82. https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-7917.12665.

Govers, L.C., Harper, A.P., Finger, B.J., Mattiske, D.M., Pask, A.J. and Green, M.P. 2020. “Atrazine induces penis abnormalities including hypospadias in mice. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 11: 246–49, https://doi.org/10.1017/S2040174419000473.

Gu, Z., de Silva, S. and Reichman, S.M. 2020. Arsenic concentrations and dietary exposure in rice-based infant food in Australia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17: 415, doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17020415

Gupta, S., Schillaci, M., Walker, R., Smith, P.M.C., Watt, M. and Roessner, U. 2020. Alleviation of salinity stress in plants by endophytic plant-fungal symbiosis: current knowledge, perspectives and future directions. Plant and Soil, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-020-04618-w.

Hanada, T., Firmansyah, M.L., Yoshida, W., Kubota, F., Kolev, S.D. and Goto, M. 2020. Transport of rhodium(III) from chloride media across a polymer inclusion membrane containing an ionic liquid metal ion carrier. Acs Omega 5: 12989–12995, https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.0c00867.

Hassell, K.L., Coggan, T.L., Cresswell, T., Kolobaric, A., Berry, K., Crosbie, N.D., Blackbeard, J., Pettigrove, V.J., and Clarke, B.O. 2020. Dietary optake and depuration kinetics of perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoic acid, and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (GenX) in a benthic fish.” Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 39: 595–603. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.4640.

Homayoonzadeh, M., Moeini,P., Talebi, K., Roessner, U., and Hosseininaveh, V.. Antioxidant system status of cucumber plants under pesticides treatment. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum, 42: 161, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-020-03150-9.

Kuswandi, B., Nitti, F., Almeida, M.I.G.S., and Kolev, S.D. 2020. Water monitoring using polymer inclusion membranes: a review. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 18: 129–50, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-019-00930-9.

Layton, C., Coleman, M.A., Marzinelli, E.M., Steinberg, P.D., Swearer, S.E., Verges, A., Wernberg, T. and Johnson, C.R. 2020. Kelp forest restoration in Australia. Frontiers in Marine Science, 7: 74, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00074.

Martelli, F., Zhongyuan, Z., Wang, J., Wong, C.-O., Karagas, N.E., Roessner, U., Rupasinghe, T. View Venkatachalam, K., Perry, T., Bellen, H.J., and Batterham, P. 2020. Low doses of the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid induce ROS triggering neurological and metabolic impairments in Drosophila.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 117: 25840–25450, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2011828117.

McGrath, T.J., Kolobaric, A., Lee, E., and Clarke, B.O. 2020. Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in Western Australian biosolids and implications for land application. Chemosphere, 260: 127601, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127601.

Netherway, P., Gascó, G., Méndez, A., Surapaneni, A., Reichman, S., Shah, K., Paz-Ferreiro, J. 2020. Using phosphorus-rich biochars to remediate lead-contaminated soil: Influence on soil enzymes and extractable P. Agronomy 10: 454, doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10040454.

Okada, E., Allinson, M., Barral, M.P., Clarke, B., and Allinson, G. 2020. “Glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) are commonly found in urban streams and wetlands of Melbourne, Australia.” Water Research, 168: 115139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2019.115139.

Pozo, K., Urbin, W., Gómez, V., Torres, M., Nuñez, D., Přibylová, P., Audy, O., Clarke, B., Arias, A., Tombesi, N., Guidah, Y., Klánováa, K., 2020 Persistent organic pollutants sorbed in plastic resin pellet – ‘nurdles’ from coastal areas of central Chile. Marine Pollution Bulletin 151: 110786, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110786.

Ribas, T.C.F., Croft, C.F., Almeida, M.I.G.S., Mesquita, R.B.R., Kolev, S.D., and Rangel, A.O.S.S. 2020. Use of a polymer inclusion membrane and a chelating resin for the flow-based sequential determination of copper(II) and zinc(II) in natural waters and soil leachates. Molecules 25: 5062, https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25215062.

Sarabia, L.D., Boughton, B.A., Rupasinghe, T., Callahan, D.L., Hill, C.B., and Roessner, U. 2020. “Comparative spatial lipidomics analysis reveals cellular lipid remodelling in different developmental zones of barley roots in response to salinity.” Plant Cell and Environment 43: 327–43, https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.13653.

Seraj, M.F., Rahman, T., Lawrie, A.C., and Reichman, S.M. 2020. Assessing the plant growth promoting and arsenic tolerance potential of Bradyrhizobium japonicum CB1809. Environmental Management 66: 930–939, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-020-01351-z.

Steinemann, A., Nematollahi, N., Rismanchi, B., Goodman, N., and Spas D. Kolev, S.D. 2020. Pandemic products and volatile chemical emissions.” Air Quality Atmosphere and Health, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-020-00912-9.

Steinemann, A., Nematollahi, N., Weinberg, J.L., Flattery, J., Goodman, N., and Kolev, S.D. 2020. Volatile chemical emissions from car air fresheners.” Air Quality Atmosphere and Health, 13: 1329–34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-020-00886-8.

Wei, Z., Gao, B., Cheng, K.Y., Kaksonen, A.H., Kolev, S.D., Wong, J.W.C., and Cui, J. 2020. “Exploring the use of Dicranopteris pedata ash as a rare earth fertilizer to Ipomoea aquatica Forsskal. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 400:123207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123207.

Yu, D., Boughton, B.A., Hill, C.B., Feussner, I., Roessner, U., and Rupasinghe. T.W.T. 2020. Insights into oxidized lipid modification in barley roots as an adaptation mechanism to salinity stress. Frontiers in Plant Science 11: 1, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.00001.

Zhang, Y., Chen, C.-X., Feng, H.-P., Wang, X.-J., Roessner, U., Walker, R., Cheng, Z.-Y., An, Y.-Q., Binghai Du, B., and Bai, J.-G. 2020. Transcriptome profiling combined with activities of antioxidant and soil enzymes reveals an ability of Pseudomonas Sp. CFA to mitigate p-hydroxybenzoic and ferulic acid stresses in cucumber.” Frontiers in Microbiology 11: 522986, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.522986.