Prior to 2004 his major research interests (during his tenure in the School of Chemistry of the University of Birmingham, 1960-1998) were primarily focussed on the chemistry of soil organic matter, the interactions between anthropogenic organic chemicals and clays and humic substances, the interactions of water and of natural and synthetic polymers with clays and (hydr)oxides and the relevance of these to soil structure and to the properties of drilling muds. Since 2004 he has concentrated mainly on second generation biorefining, and on the chemistry and interactions of humic substances. He is a Past President of the International Humic Substances Society, has held the Chairmanship of Commission II (Soil Chemistry) of the International Society of Soil Science (now IUSS), was elected to Membership of the Royal Irish Academy, and to Honorary memberships of the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), the American Society of Agronomy (ASA), and of the International Humic Substances Society (IHSS). He is co-editor of 10 books dealing with Soil Colloids (including Humic Substances), and author of numerous articles in Scientific Journals, Chapters in Books, and Conference Proceedings.

Bio refining and Second Generation Biofuels Biochar Analysis of Feedstock’s and Process Outputs Catalysis and Downstream Processing Effective Utilization of Wastes Miscanthus