GOVERNMENT
In fiction, forensic science fills gaps in narrative, offering neat evidence that generally leads to a satisfying explanation of what happened and why.
Jessica Booth: Senior scientist in environmental forensics at the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.Credit:Simone Cottrell
In real life it's rather more complicated but Jessica Booth, a senior scientist in environmental forensics at the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, says it is still about telling a whole story.
She works in a chemical forensics team that analyses substances implicated in pollution events that are often brought to the attention of the state's Environment Protection Authority by members of the public.
Sometimes the what and why is clear cut — bees have died as a result of a chemical sprayed nearby — but sometimes there are no clear answers. A fish kill or the reason why bottles of urine were dumped in a bush area goes unexplained but not unexplored.
Booth chose her career direction early, opting for a University of Technology Sydney course in applied chemistry in forensic science after school.
"It struck a chord with me. I was interested in maths and chemistry and it seemed like an interesting application of those things." Skills in analytical chemistry and the use of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, a technique that combines the physical separation capabilities of liquid chromatography with the mass analysis capabilities of mass spectrometry, gave her an edge when looking for jobs and she found work with the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory.
Over three years she analysed samples taken from horses, jockeys and dogs looking for drugs that might impede or illegally improve performance.
Her next role was at the University of Sydney, where the psychology department had just acquired a liquid chromatography mass spectrometer to support a range of research that included investigation of the active ingredients of cannabis in the systems of pot smokers and hormone levels in the saliva of anorexia patients.
Her work with the Office of Environment and Heritage includes identifying and measuring levels of confirmed and potential pollutants in the environment and their likely impact on native plants, animals and ecosystems.
Some investigations lead to prosecutions and others help identify the contents of dumped rubbish — such as the neat stockpile of urine filled bottles — enabling it to be disposed of safely.
"Nothing's usual in this job. Sometimes we are checking for hazardous waste — asbestos or metal pollutants — or explaining why something may have happened. We look at dead wildlife and what may have killed birds, bees or fish." Since her promotion to senior scientist, Booth is increasingly involved in project management. Her current and potential work future work includes a focus on emerging contaminants.
As new man-made substances enter the environment, identifying and measuring them is a first step to understanding their likely impact and the role government may need to play in regulating their use and safe disposal.
"One of the advantages of working for the government is that you can interact with various agencies and your work may inform future regulation and policy.
"Making a real-world difference is important to scientists," she says.
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