Summary of the impact

In the early years of the nuclear industry, numerous different fuels, materials and reactor concepts were tried and tested, building a legacy of varied wastes that have subsequently proven difficult to treat, store and dispose of. This is especially the case for Sellafield in Cumbria, a site home to an extraordinary accumulation of hazardous waste from the UK and abroad requiring treatment. Much of this waste is stored in outdated nuclear facilities. Bristol's research into the corrosion and reactivity of uranium and associated compounds within different storage, treatment and environmental systems, has resulted in the reduction of operational safety risk at Sellafield, CERN and the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) through the alteration of protocols for the storage, retrieval and treatment of uranium and uranium carbide.

Summary of the impact

Professor Parrish at Leicester developed a unique high sensitivity urine, soil and particle isotope assay for detection of DU pollution and applied this to Gulf War veterans to quantify exposure to DU munitions. None of the Gulf War veterans tested in a UK MoD study had detectable DU; this allowed the UK government to conclude that DU exposure was limited, and that the harm to veterans was small, although residual environmental issues of chronic exposure have yet to be quantified. The test was also applied to munitions' factory workers and nearby residents, and allowed the exposure to DU to be quantified in individuals and environmental materials. This latter study gave rise to a $0.5M exposure and health study near by the New York State Dept. of Health to better assess the health impacts of DU aerosol exposure.

Summary of the impact

The School of Chemistry has a long track record of pioneering and innovative outreach activities aimed at stimulating public interest and understanding in chemistry research and its societal impact. During the period 2008-2013 it successfully communicated to a wide-ranging audience the significance of a series of "firsts" in the areas of nanoscience and materials for energy applications. Using YouTube, Royal Society Summer Science Exhibitions, roadshows and science festivals, this award-winning approach has engaged hundreds of thousands through digital media and thousands more face-to-face, raising public awareness, inspiring interest in science and delivering educational benefits for students and teachers alike.

Summary of the impact

This case study focuses on the use of hydrogen in a range of applications, developing the following techniques:

• Automated and precise measurement of the magnitude and kinetics of gas/vapour absorption in materials at controlled pressure and temperature;
• Methods for analysing structural changes during cycling of hydrogen storage materials, in particular in situ neutron diffraction;
• Methods for the regeneration of a palladium catalyst used in the production of hydrogen peroxide;
• Understanding the behaviour of hydrogen isotopes in palladium in relation to hydrogen isotope separation for fusion applications;
• A surface coating technique that stops hydrogen permeation through metals;
• Exploring the use of hydrogen storage for use with hydrogen/fuel cell cars using isotherm analysis, ab initio simulations and neutron scattering techniques;

Demonstrating impact in the commercial application of the techniques in the energy, environment and chemical industries; resulting in commercially viable processes and products, generating economic benefit.

Summary of the impact

Fingerprints remain the most conclusive means of linking an offender to a crime scene. Conventional visualization techniques require the sweat deposit to be largely retained and thus have low success rates. We have developed technologies to visualize fingerprints on metals after the sweat deposit has been substantively lost, deliberately removed or environmentally degraded. One technology uses microscale corrosion caused by the sweat deposit; it has been used in solving gun crimes. A second technology uses trace residual sweat deposit as a template to direct electrochromic polymer deposition to bare metal between the ridge deposits. These have been adopted in the new Home Office Fingerprinting Manual and licensed to UK forensic providers.

Summary of the impact

University of Huddersfield research into the microbial production and metabolism of polysaccharides has had a significant impact in two distinct areas. In the food and health care industry it has driven developments in the use of bacterial starter cultures, leading to the adoption of new techniques to produce fermented products with proven functionality. In the policy arena, in modelling gas production by microorganisms, it has made a major contribution to the safety case for the disposal of nuclear waste, highlighting the economic and environmental benefits of underground storage. In each instance the reach of the research's impact has been international with the biggest beneficiaries residing in Europe and North America.