Environmental Geochemistry and Health publishes original research papers and review papers across the broad field of environmental geochemistry. The journal’s aim is to establish and explain links between the natural or disturbed chemical composition of the earth’s surface and the health of the ecosystem, animals and people.


The journal scope encompasses a broad range of inter-disciplinary work. For example: beneficial elements that regulate or promote enzymatic and hormonal activity or potentially harmful elements that may be toxic; bedrock geochemistry control on the composition of soil and hence that of water and vegetation; environmental issues, such as pollution, arising from the extraction and use of mineral resources, rapid urbanisation or change in land-use; geochemical surveys of soil, water and plants show how major and trace elements are distributed geographically; associated epidemiological studies that reveal the possibility of causal links between the natural or disturbed geochemical environment and disease; experimental research illuminates the nature or consequences of natural or disturbed geochemical processes or novel methodologies to measure and interpret environment and health pathways.

The journal welcomes novel research linking environmental geochemistry and health issues on such topics as (but not limited to):
• Environmental toxicology from potentially harmful elements (including mercury), persistent organic pollutants (POPs), mixed chemicals, other ‘emerging contaminants’ emitted through human activities, such as uncontrolled recycling of electronic-waste; waste recycling;

• Phytoremediation/restoration of contaminated sites; food contamination and safety; effects on soil health;

• Emerging contaminants, including the environmental effects of medicines; effects and toxicity of mixed pollutants; elemental speciation of potentially harmful elements, particle and nanoparticle toxicology;

• Development of novel methods to determine emerging contaminants with pilot data to demonstrate its application;

• Source apportionment through modelling or tracers to better understand disturbed geochemistry from human behaviour, natural/anthropogenic hazards or climate change;

• Risk and the vulnerability of populations, incorporating studies using source to sink pathways, biomarker, biomonitoring or sentinel organisms;

• Environmental cycles, exposure or transfer mechanisms e.g. soil-to-plant transfers, rhizospheric or sedimentary interactions.


The journal encourages review papers that summarise existing information and synthesise recent findings. These manuscripts contain critical, state-of-the-art reviews with the objectives of critically evaluating existing knowledge and providing background information for future significant research. Authors who wish to review a particular topic should consult the Editors-in-Chief prior to submission of the manuscript and should consider why there is a need for the review paper. A proportion of literature within the last three years will be of particular use to the reader, given the vast number of review papers already available.

Authors are required to provide full transparency of their methodologies in their manuscripts and supporting information for the reader to understand and potentially follow the methodologies. This will include all information regarding instrumentation, including their calibration, chemicals and reagents to detail the supplier, location and for reagents the grade/quality. In addition, all information to provide confidence in measured data is provided in full for the reader to understand the uncertainty on the measured data e.g. provision of information for analytical quality checks – QCs, reference materials, with all data provided for accuracy and precision. Where method description is truncated by reference to cited methods, they must be searchable and free to access. Supporting evidence including QC or reference material data to support accuracy and precision consideration could be included in supplementary information in full. Authors will be required at the point of submitting their papers to confirm in the journal submission portal that sufficient transparency for how the measured data was produced has been provided in the manuscript or supporting information.