2025 Lecture for Y12 and Y13 students
Chemistry in Action: What鈥檚 in Sheffield鈥檚 Rivers and How Do We Fix It? by Dr Rachel Schwartz-Narbonne
Rivers are vital to humans and the environment. They supply freshwater, support animal life, and are used for work and play. Sheffield is known as the city of 鈥淔ive Rivers and Seven Hills鈥� 鈥� the Don, Sheaf, Rivelin, Loxley and Porter Rivers which made the industry of the city possible. But across the UK, rivers health is at risk, with only 14% of rivers achieving 鈥淕ood鈥� ecological health, and 0% achieving 鈥淕ood鈥� chemical health, in 2025.
Chemistry gives us the tools to tackle this problem. Analytical chemistry analysis of water pollution tells us what鈥檚 contaminating our water, and biochemical analysis tells us what impact it鈥檚 having on life in the water. Once we have the information, we can use it to change our behaviour 鈥� from small changes we can all make, to bigger changes we make in the laboratory or together as a community.
Chemistry in Action: What鈥檚 in Sheffield鈥檚 Rivers and How Do We Fix It? by Dr Rachel Schwartz-Narbonne
Rivers are vital to humans and the environment. They supply freshwater, support animal life, and are used for work and play. Sheffield is known as the city of 鈥淔ive Rivers and Seven Hills鈥� 鈥� the Don, Sheaf, Rivelin, Loxley and Porter Rivers which made the industry of the city possible. But across the UK, rivers health is at risk, with only 14% of rivers achieving 鈥淕ood鈥� ecological health, and 0% achieving 鈥淕ood鈥� chemical health, in 2025.
Chemistry gives us the tools to tackle this problem. Analytical chemistry analysis of water pollution tells us what鈥檚 contaminating our water, and biochemical analysis tells us what impact it鈥檚 having on life in the water. Once we have the information, we can use it to change our behaviour 鈥� from small changes we can all make, to bigger changes we make in the laboratory or together as a community.
