Mark Patrick Taylor Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Australasia 2023

Mark Patrick Taylor

Mark Patrick Taylor is Victoria’s Chief Environmental Scientist at EPA Victoria, previously being a Professor of Environmental Science and Human Health at Macquarie University, Sydney, specialising in environmental contamination and the risks it can pose. His research expertise covers environmental contamination in aerosols, dusts, sediments, soil, water and potential risks to human health. His work has focused on mining and smelting emissions and depositions, as well as contamination in urban environments. His work is genuinely global with research, consulting and expert advice covering Australia, Africa, Asia, Chile, New Caledonia, Fiji, Indonesia, New Zealand, UK and the USA. Professor Taylor’s work has a special focus on ‘human environments’ including analysis of blood lead levels in children, firefighter PFAS exposures, trace metals and microbes in bees, honey, wine, residential veggie patches, household dusts and drinking water. Topical research includes assessment of atmospheric trace metal emissions from wildfires, microplastics and human health risks and authentic and effective community engagement in environmental health science. Professor Taylor is a top 2% of global scientist and a leading popular science writer with more than 3.6 million reads of his topical The Conversation articles. Mark’s assessment of environmental contamination and the risks it can pose to the environment and human health has resulted in: • Australia’s largest and longest blood lead level analysis of Australian children; • The development of a national residential garden and household trace metal assessment program involving >7,000 homes; • A world first randomised clinical treatment trial to remove PFAS from humans; • Commissioned research for the Australian Building Codes Board that paved the way for the legislated reduction in the concentration of lead used in plumbing fittings from 4.5% to 0.25%.