Dr Martin Sharkey

BSc, PhD

Contact Details

Post Doctoral Researcher
E: MARTIN.SHARKEY@nuigalway.ie
 
researcher
 

Biography

My education background primarily revolves around physics, chemistry and mathematics with additional experience in engineering, programming, statistics, accountancy and creative writing. After receiving an honours degree in Applied Physics from the National University of Ireland Galway, I was awarded a PhD from the School of Physics in NUIG, specialising in environmental physics and chemistry.

My current research area is in the use of hazardous brominated flame retardants in consumer applications, the environmental issues associated with these chemicals, and mechanisms to remove them from circulation. That remit is expanding in my current research project (SAFER) to a wide range of halogenated flame retardants (both regulated and under investigation), the potential hazards they may cause to the environment, and the barriers they create for a fully circular economy. I have a keen interest in persistent organic pollutants research: the hazards they pose, their applications, the legislative acts to limit them, and ultimately their cessation of use and removal from circulation.

Thus far, I have co-authored two EPA technical reports, and co-authored 8 peer-reviewed publications in international journals. These have thus far generated a h-index of 5 and an i10-index of 3. I also have a broad range of teaching experience, having lectured and demonstrated in undergraduate physics modules for several years, and supervised both undergraduate and post-graduate research projects. I have sat on the organising committees for two international conferences encompassing various environmental and health aspects of persistent organic pollution research, and am part of several international organisations to stay apprised of up-to-date knowledge in various fields of study.

Research Interests

Waste Management and Recycling; Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE); Landfill Leachate and Wastewater Treatment; Circular and Green Economy; Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs); Organophosphate Flame Retardants (OPFRs); Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs); Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

Research Projects

  Project Start Date End Date
Screening of the Irish Waste Stream for Persistent Organic Chemicals (SAER) 01-FEB-19 31-JAN-22
Furthering Understanding of emissions from landfilled waste containing POP-BFRs and PFASs (FUEL) 01-NOV-16 31-JUL-19
Identification and Treatment Options for Waste Streams of Certain Bromine-Containing Flame Retardants (WAFER) 02-FEB-15 01-FEB-17

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2020) 'Leaching of decabromodiphenyl ether and hexabromocyclododecane from fabrics under simulated landfill conditions'
Harrad, Stuart,Drage, Daniel S.,Sharkey, Martin,Berresheim, Harald (2020) 'Leaching of decabromodiphenyl ether and hexabromocyclododecane from fabrics under simulated landfill conditions'. Emerging Contaminants, 6 :33-38 [Details]
(2020) 'Perfluoroalkyl substances and brominated flame retardants in landfill-related air, soil, and groundwater from Ireland'
Harrad, S;Drage, DS;Sharkey, M;Berresheim, H (2020) 'Perfluoroalkyl substances and brominated flame retardants in landfill-related air, soil, and groundwater from Ireland'. Science Of The Total Environment, 705 [DOI] [Details]
(2020) 'Phasing-out of legacy brominated flame retardants: The UNEP Stockholm Convention and other legislative action worldwide'
Sharkey M;Harrad S;Abou-Elwafa Abdallah M;Drage DS;Berresheim H; (2020) 'Phasing-out of legacy brominated flame retardants: The UNEP Stockholm Convention and other legislative action worldwide'. Environment International, 144 [DOI] [Details]
(2019) 'Brominated flame retardants and perfluoroalkyl substances in landfill leachate from Ireland'
Harrad, S;Drage, DS;Sharkey, M;Berresheim, H (2019) 'Brominated flame retardants and perfluoroalkyl substances in landfill leachate from Ireland'. Science Of The Total Environment, 695 [DOI] [Details]
(2018) 'Brominated flame retardants in Irish waste polymers: Concentrations, legislative compliance, and treatment options'
Drage, DS,Sharkey, M,Abdallah, MA,Berresheim, H,Harrad, S (2018) 'Brominated flame retardants in Irish waste polymers: Concentrations, legislative compliance, and treatment options'. Science Of The Total Environment, 625 :1535-1543 [DOI] [Details]
(2018) 'Portable X-ray fluorescence for the detection of POP-BFRs in waste plastics'
Sharkey M;Abdallah MA;Drage DS;Harrad S;Berresheim H; (2018) 'Portable X-ray fluorescence for the detection of POP-BFRs in waste plastics'. Science Of The Total Environment, 639 [DOI] [Details]
(2018) 'Hexabromocyclododecane in polystyrene packaging: A downside of recycling?'
Abdallah, MA,Sharkey, M,Berresheim, H,Harrad, S (2018) 'Hexabromocyclododecane in polystyrene packaging: A downside of recycling?'. Chemosphere, 199 :612-616 [DOI] [Details]
(2017) 'A rapid method for the determination of brominated flame retardant concentrations in plastics and textiles entering the waste stream'
Abdallah, MA,Drage, DS,Sharkey, M,Berresheim, H,Harrad, S (2017) 'A rapid method for the determination of brominated flame retardant concentrations in plastics and textiles entering the waste stream'. Journal Of Separation Science, 40 :3873-3881 [DOI] [Details]

Published Reports

  Year Publication
(2020) Furthering Understanding of Emissions from Landfilled Waste Containing POPBFRs and PFASs (FUEL).
Harrad S; Drage DS; Sharkey M; Berresheim H (2020) Furthering Understanding of Emissions from Landfilled Waste Containing POPBFRs and PFASs (FUEL). Environmental Protection Agency, Online. [Details]
(2019) Evaluation of Hand-held XRF for Screening Waste Articles for Exceedances of Limit Values for Brominated Flame Retardants.
Harrad S; Drage DS; Abdallah MAE; Sharkey M; Berresheim H (2019) Evaluation of Hand-held XRF for Screening Waste Articles for Exceedances of Limit Values for Brominated Flame Retardants. Environmental Protection Agency, Online. [Details]

Thesis

  Year Publication
(2019) Sources, Concentrations, and Screening of Hazardous Brominated Flame Retardants from Waste Streams in Ireland.
Martin J Sharkey (2019) Sources, Concentrations, and Screening of Hazardous Brominated Flame Retardants from Waste Streams in Ireland. Galway: Thesis [Details]

Honours and Awards

  Year Title Awarding Body
2019 Best Poster Award -- Environmental Sciences: Processes and Impacts Royal Society of Chemistry

Professional Associations

  Association Function From / To
The Aerosol Society Member 01-JAN-16 /
Institute of Physics Member 20-JUL-20 /
International Waste Working Group Member 02-SEP-19 /

Committees

  Committee Function From / To
Institute of Physics - Environmental Physics Group OCM 16-SEP-20 /
School of Physics Learning & Teaching Association OCM 01-SEP-15 / 31-AUG-17

Employment

  Employer Position From / To
National University of Ireland Galway Post-Doctoral Researcher 01-AUG-19 /

Education

  Year Institution Qualification Subject
2015 National University of Ireland Galway BSc (Hons) Physics with Applied Physics
2019 National University of Ireland Galway PhD Environmental Sciences

Reviews

  Journal Role
Science Of The Total Environment Reviewer
Journal Of Cleaner Production Reviewer
Environmental Science And Pollution Research Reviewer
Chemosphere Reviewer

Modules Taught

  Term/Year Module Title Module Code Subject / Desc
2020 Physics for Engineers PHY140 Teaching Assistant for undergraduate Physics for Engineers (College of Science and Engineering, NUIG), running all tutorial sessions and preparing selected lecture materials.
2015-2018 Physicas Laboratory and Problem Solving PHY2102/2104 Demonstrator for second year undergraduate physics labs (School of Physics, NUIG) teaching broad range of subjects including Newtonian mechanics, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity & magnetism, and ionising radiation.
2015-2020 Physics Practical Work (Including Project) PHY427 Assisted in the supervision of several research projects by final year undergraduate students, providing advice and guidance on experimental procedures, report writing, and presentation skills (School of Physics, NUIG).
2020 Physics Practical Work (Including Project) PH427 Guest Lecturer conducting information sessions for final year undergraduate students on how to identify risks and compile risk assessments on practical research projects (School of Physics, NUIG).
2020 Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety 1OEH1 Supervisor for Occupational/Environmental Health and Safety MSc student (School of Physics, NUIG), developing and guiding the student through a project involving emissions of flame retardant substances from landfill-related media.