Prof. Peter Croot FRSC is a marine biogeochemist whose research focuses on understanding the role of biogeochemical processes on the concentration and distribution of trace elements and chemical species in the ocean. His work combines different strands of ocean observations ( in situ and satellite, physical and biological), with laboratory studies to elucidate the mechanisms underpinning the transformation of chemical species in the ocean from the surface to the deep. Dr Croot undertook his PhD studies in the chemistry department at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. He undertook post-doctoral studies at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (USA) and Gothenburg University (Sweden), and was a researcher at NIOZ (Netherlands), IFM-GEOMAR (Germany) and Plymouth Marine Laboratory (United Kingdom). Since 2012 he is the Established Professor of Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of Galway.

Dr Croot has extensive at sea experience in the oxygen minimum zones of the Tropical Atlantic and Pacific and in the iron limited Southern Ocean (SOIREE, SOFeX, EisenEx, EIFeX). He is an active participant in the GEOTRACES (Member of international standards and intercalibration committe), IMBER and SOLAS communities. In 2014 he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. He is currently the secretary of the Executive Committee of the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR).

Current Projects:

Trace Element Speciation, Redox Behaviour & Distribution:

Iron speciation - Development of analytical methods to determine iron speciation under ambient conditions, this includes flow injection techniques and voltammetric methods. Laboratory measurements of iron speciation and solubility at ambient temperatures and composition. Uptake of iron by phytoplankton, mechanisms and rates.

Al, Mn and Ti - Measurement of Al, Mn and Ti as tracers of dust deposition to the surface ocean for use as reference crustal elements to iron for examining iron biogeochemical cycling.

CdZn pCO2 - The biogeochemical cycling of Cd and Zn in surface waters and their relationship to the draw down of CO2 by phytoplankton.

Halogens - Investigations and development of techniques to examine the speciation of inorganic Iodine and Bromide redox species in natural waters with particular application to oxygen minium zones and in the Ozonation of seawater for aquaculture.

Photochemistry - Photoreduction of Fe(III) complexes Investigating the effects of sunlight on the generation of Fe(II) from the photoreduction of inorganic and organic Fe(III) complexes.

Cycling of Hydrogen Peroxide and Superoxide in the ocean - Measurements of the formation and decay of H2O2 and O2- in the Equatorial Atlantic and the Southern Ocean have been made to assess the role of these species in the redox cycling of metals and organic matter. Photoreactivity of CDOM the absorbance and fluorescence properties of CDOM are used to examine interactions with light, metals and photoproduced oxidants such as superoxide.

Regional Oceanography:

Pacific - current work here focuses on the oxygen minimum zone in the Eastern Tropical South Pacific (ETSP) and the influence of O2 on the cycling of redox sensitive elements in the ocean. 

Atlantic - recent work here has been on the deposition of Saharan and Patagonian dust to surface waters of the Atlantic and the influence of this dust on trace metal biogeochemical cycles.

Southern Ocean - The biogeochemical cycling of iron in the Southern Ocean and the effects of iron limitation on the cycling of manganese, cobalt, cadmium and zinc.

Climate Change

Aquatic Geochemistry

Shipboard Training