Dr Tom Stanton

BSc, MRes, PhD, FHEA

  • AXA Research Fund Fellow
Google Scholar

Academic Career:

  • 2022 – present: Loughborough Doctoral Prize Fellow
  • 2021 – 2022: Assistant Professor in Freshwater Science, University of Nottingham School of Geography
  • 2020 – 2021: Lecturer in Environmental Science, Nottingham Trent University School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Science
  • 2019 – 2020: Research Associate, University of Nottingham Faculty of Engineering
  • 2016 – 2020: Sir Francis Hill PhD Scholar, University of Nottingham School of Geography

Tom’s research focusses on characterising the nature and impacts of anthropogenic materials in freshwater environments. His current research is investigating the prevalence and impacts of natural textile fibres (e.g. cotton and wool) relative to their plastic analogues (e.g. polyester and nylon) in contemporary freshwater environments and aquatic sediment records.

Alongside his work on textile fibres, Tom collaborates with not-for-profit organisation Planet Patrol, who use citizen science to characterise anthropogenic litter and water quality in freshwater environments globally. In collaboration with academics across the University of Nottingham’s Schools of Psychology, Geography, and Bioscience, Tom is also working to better understand stakeholder perceptions of aquatic pollution.

  • Stanton, T., Chico, G., Carr, E., Cook, S., Gomes, R.L., Heard, E., Law, A., Wilson, H.L. and Johnson, M., 2022. Planet Patrolling: A citizen science brand audit of anthropogenic litter in the context of national legislation and international policy. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 436, 129118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129118
  • Stanton, T., Johnson, M., Gomes, R.L., Nathanail, P., MacNaughtan, W., Kay, P. (2022) Fluffy Rivers: How Our Clothes Can Harm Rivers and The Oceans. Frontiers for Young Minds. 10, 743943. doi: 10.3389/frym.2022.743943
  • Smith, I., Stanton, T., and Law, A. (2021).  Plastic habitats: Algal biofilms on photic and aphotic plastics. Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters, 2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazl.2021.100038
  • Stanton, T., Johnson, M., Nathanail, P., MacNaughtan, W. and Gomes, R. (2020). Freshwater microplastic pollution varies through both space and time. Environmental Pollution. 263(Part B), 114481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114481
  • Stanton T., Kay, P., Johnson, M., Chan, F., Gomes, RL., Hughes, J., Meredith, W., Orr, HG., Snape, C., Taylor, M., Weeks, J., Wood, H., Xu, Y. (2020). It’s the product not the polymer: rethinking plastic pollution.  WIREs Water. 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1490
  • Xu, Y., Chan, FKS., He, J., Kay, P., Gibbins, C., Johnson, M., Stanton, T., Xu, Y., Li, G., Feng, M., Paramor, O., Yu, X. and Zhu, Y. 2020. A critical review of microplastics pollution in urban freshwater environments and legislative progress in China: recommendations and insights. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology. 51(22), 2637-2680. https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2020.1801308
  • Stanton, T., Johnson, M., Nathanail, P., Gomes, R., Needham, T., Burson, A. (2019). Exploring the Efficacy of Nile Red in Microplastic Quantification: A Costaining Approach. Environmental Science and Technology Letters. 6(10), 606-611. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.9b00499
  • Stanton, T., Johnson, M., Nathanail, P., MacNaughtan, W. and Gomes, R. (2019). Freshwater and airborne textile fibre populations are dominated by ‘natural’, not microplastic, fibres. Science of The Total Environment, 666, 377-389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.278