Staff Members

| Chemistry - Research Fellows Staff |

Dr Nick D. Kim

Role: Honorary Lecturer in Chemistry Qualifications: BSc(Hons) Canterbury (1987), Ph.D. Canterbury (1990); Postdoctoral Fellow, Australian National University (1990). Contributing Editor, Annals of Improbable Research. Email: Location: Environment Waikato Contact: Environment Waikato

Research Interests:

My research is basically about applying analytical chemistry approaches to solve a range of interesting problems in the environmental, human health, and forensic areas.
(i) Environmental Chemistry
The following three sub-topics have been of particular interest to me in the environmental area:
(a) Determination of metal speciation in solid phases, such as soils and sediments.
Work in this area has focused on appraisal of the performance of sequential chemical extractions by use of model systems, with particular emphasis on the problem of ‘redistribution’ of metals between phases during an extraction, and how this may be prevented.
(b) Assessing human exposure to (and absorption of) trace elements, taking into account all significant exposure routes (mainly ingestion, inhalation and dermal absorption).
As an example of work in this area, exposure of pre-schoolers to lead and cadmium through ingestion of house-dust was assessed by analysis of house-dust from 120 homes in Christchurch. More recently, work has been carried out on dermal absorption of various elements from cosmetics, and how significant this is in relation to exposure from food.
(c) Studies of seasonal variations in the concentrations of various trace elements, and determining the factors which may account for observed trends.
For example, in the leaves of deciduous trees, levels of copper and zinc are at their highest when the leaves first open, and then decline with age of the leaf, behaviour which is related to the use of these metals by the plant in protein and carbohydrate metabolism during leaf growth. In the water of the Waikato River, arsenic levels also follow a regular seasonal cycle, being at a minimum in August and a maximum in early February—in this case the variation is likely to be related to sediment chemistry and the presence of a particular arsenic-metabolising bacteria.
(ii) Forensic Chemistry.
Forensic analysis is another area in which extensive use is made of applied analytical chemistry. A number of forensic science research projects have been carried out by Waikato research students (some of these are also in conjunction with the Crown Research Institute ESR:Forensic). Completed and ongoing projects include:

Development of new reagents for detection of latent fingerprints, and fingerprints in blood.
Solvents on human breath: appraisal of the performance of an IR-based evidential breath alcohol device use by the New Zealand Police;
Chemistry of trace transfer: chemical and spatial analysis of gunshot residue discharge patterns from handguns, and transfer of material on banknotes.
Development of GCMS and LCMS methods for analysis of anti-convulsant drugs and paracetamol.
Multielement and RI measurements of glass for use in statistical models of glass fragment transfer (in conjunction with Dr James Curran of Statistics).




Research student Brendan Reardon toting a Smith & Wesson 0.357. (Arrows represent the paths taken by 'Gun Shot Residue' when the pistol is fired)

Selected Publications:

J. P. Caldwell, W. Henderson and N.D. Kim, 2001. Luminescent visualization of latent fingerprints by direct reaction with a lanthanide shift reagent. Journal of Forensic Sciences, Nov 2001, pp 60-69.


D. J. Speed, S. J. Dickson, E. R. Cairns, and N. D. Kim, 2001 Analysis of Six Anticonvulsant Drugs Using Solid-Phase Extraction, Deuterated Standards, and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Journal of Analytical Toxicology, Vol. 25, pp 198.

J. P Caldwell, W. Henderson and N.D. Kim, 2000. ABTS: A Safe Alternative to DAB for the Enhancement of Blood Fingerprints. Journal of Forensic Sciences, Vol. 45, No. 4, pp 773-782.


P. J. McInstry, H.E. Indyk, and N. D. Kim, 1999. The determination of major and minor elements in milk and infant formula by slurry nebulisation and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). Journal of Food Chemistry, Vol. 65, pp 245-252.

K. A Murphy, A.M. Cartner, W. Henderson and N.D. Kim, 1999. Appraisal of the porphyrin compound, (TPP)Sn(OH)₂, as a latent fingerprint reagent. Journal of Forensic Identification, Vol. 49, No. 3, pp 269-282.

J.P. Caldwell and N.D. Kim, 1997. The Response of the Intoxilyzer 5000 to five potential interfering substances. Journal of Forensic Sciences, Vol. 42, No. 6, p 1080-1087.

M. Raksasataya, A.G. Langdon and N.D. Kim, 1997. Inhibition of Pb redistribution by two complexing agents (cryptand and NTA) during a sequential extraction of soil models. Analytica Chimica Acta, Vol. 347, 313-323.

Nieshmidt, A.K. and Kim, N.D. 1997. Effects of mercury release from amalgam dental restorations during cremation on soil mercury levels of three New Zealand crematoria. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, Vol. 58, 744–751.

M. Raksasataya, A.G. Langdon and N.D. Kim, 1996. Assessment of the extent of lead redistribution during sequential extraction by two different methods. Analytica Chimica Acta, Vol. 332, 1-14.

S.J. McLaren and N.D. Kim, 1995. Evidence for a seasonal fluctuation of arsenic in New Zealand’s longest river and the effect of treatment on concentrations in drinking water. Environmental Pollution, Vol. 90, No. 1, 67-73.

N.D. Kim and J.E. Fergusson, 1994. Seasonal variations in the concentrations of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc in leaves of the Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.). Environmental Pollution, Vol. 86, 89-97.

N.D. Kim and J.E Fergusson, 1994. “The concentrations, distribution and sources of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc in the atmosphere of an urban environment.” The Science of the Total Environment, Vol. 144, 179-189.