Professor Steve Leharne

Professor Stephen Leharne obtained a BSc in pure and applied chemistry and polymer science and technology from Cardiff University. He subsequently stayed on to undertake postgraduate research examining the physics and chemistry of PVC-Plasticizer systems, obtaining his PhD in 1980. He has previously worked as analytical chemist in a fine-chemical company and was a school teacher in Hartlepool for several years.

Responsibilities within the university

Course Leader

Advanced Physical Chemistry
Basic Chemistry for Life Sciences
Biotechnology Research Projects
Contaminated Land: Risk Assessment and Remediation
Green Chemistry
MPS Study with Professional Skills
MSc Formulation Science Project

Course participation

Intermediate Forensic Science

MPhil/PhD supervision

Paul Armitage
Nedal Daraghmeh
Tammy Ehiwe
Nina Hughes

Research

For the past 15 years a large portion of Professor Leharne's research has been focused on the problems posed to the sustainable use of ground water, as a source of potable water, by the presence of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) in sub-surface environments. The work has examined the behaviour of NAPLs in aquifer rock formations. Funding for this work has come from EPSRC and the Environment Agency. The major focus of the work has been an examination of how to use surfactants to remove both polyaromatic hydrocarbons; and coal tars from soils.

Remediation of NAPL-impacted environments using iron is a previous and ongoing research interest. There is an ongoing collaborative research interest examining the use of surfactants for the removal petroleum hydrocarbons from soils with Dr Luis Torres (UPIBI of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City); Dra Rosario Irtube (Instituto de Ingeniería of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; and Dr Erick Bandala (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the Universidad de las Américas Puebla, Mexico).

A second research theme that is conducted in collaboration with colleagues from the Jordanian Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Company is focused on the development of novel pharmaceutical excipients. There is particular interest in using metal silicates in conjunction with other materials to produce excipients that are used to manufacture tabletted forms of drugs that have inter alia superior physical, disintegrating and drug release properties.

The final research theme is focused on physical chemistry, in particular, experimental thermodynamics and ab initio quantum mechanical calculations. This research theme is carried out in collaboration with Dr Trevor Dines of Dundee University.

Publications

Leharne, S.A. et al. (in press) Vibrational spectroscopy and DFT calculations of N,N'–dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy.

Leharne, S.A. et al. (in press) A vibrational spectroscopic investigation of rhodanine and its derivatives in the solid state. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, (in press), DOI 10.1002/jrs.2573.

Leharne, S.A. et al. (2010) Characterisation of the impact of magnesium stearate lubrication on the tabletting properties of chitin-Mg stearate as a superdisintegrating binder when compared to Avicel® 200. Powder Technology, 203, pp. 609–19, doi:10.1016/j.powtec.2010.06.028

Leharne, S.A. et al. (2010) Vibrational spectra and structures of urazole and 4-methylurazole: DFT calculations of the normal modes in aqueous solution and in the solid state, and the influence of hydrogen bonding. Chemical Physics, 373, pp. 219–27, doi:10.1016/j.chemphys.2010.05.014

Haggenhoff, K., Dong, J., Chowdhry, B., and Leharne, S. (2010) Aqueous solutions of anionic surfactants mixed with soils show a synergistic reduction in surface tension. Water Air and Soil Pollution, 209, pp. 3–13, doi:10.1007/s11270-009-0175-9.