Research interests

Understanding the processes that control the behaviour of substances in the environment and their environmental, production and end use effects:

• How soil properties affect the behaviour of cadmium and phosphorus;
• Acidity—aluminium chemistry and liming;
• Development and use of novel methods to measure the behaviour of chemicals in the environment;
• Plant nutrition, including the effects of elevated partial pressures of CO2 in the atmosphere;
  Laboratory QA/QC.

Background

Paul joined the Biological and Chemical Research Institute (BCRI) of NSW Agriculture* at Rydalmere in 1962.  From 1970 to 1992 he led a group researching testing methods and quality assurance paradigms for the soil and plant nutrition laboratories at BCRI. This research contributed to improved tools for measuring plant-available fractions of aluminium and phosphorus in soils. 

During the 1990s Paul collaborated with a team of plant scientists at UWS to elucidate the effects of elevated atmospheric concentrations of CO₂ on the growth, development and nutrient requirements of plants. Since then he has had two major research themes. Both are current, namely development of a:

1) model to predict the uptake of cadmium by plants; and

2) novel way of speciating phosphate and its compounds in environmental samples.

Paul has 46 peer-reviewed publications and has supervised 15 postgraduate research programs. Paul is based at the Richmond office of NSW DPI on the Hawkesbury Campus of UWS.

*NSW Department of Primary Industries was formed on July 1, 2004 through an amalgamation of NSW Agriculture, NSW Fisheries, State Forests of NSW and the NSW Department of Mineral Resources.

Qualifications

• B.Sc. (Hons) – University of New South Wales 1971.
• PhD Environmental Chemistry – University of Western Sydney, submission planned for late 2007.

Current projects

• Mapping the micro-scale distribution of cadmium in soils;
• Developing a proxy for isotope dilution to estimate ‘labile’ soil cadmium;
• Modelling the drivers of phosphorus runoff from well-grassed pastures;
• A novel procedure to measure the phosphate and its esters;
• Ranking aluminium tolerance of Austrodanthonia accessions.

Recent Publications

Dougherty WJ, Nicholls PJ, Milham PJ, Havilah EJ, Lawrie RA (2007) Phosphorus fertilizer and grazing management effects on phosphorus in runoff from dairy pastures. Journal of Environmental Quality, in press.

Milham PJ, Payne TE, Lai B, Trautman RL, Cai Z, Holford P, Haigh A, Conroy JP (2007) Mapping the Micro-scale Distribution of Cadmium in Soils Using Scanning Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence.  Australian Journal of Soil Research, in press.

Chan KY, Dorahy CG, Tyler S, Wells AT, Milham PJ, Barchia I (2007) Phosphorus accumulation and other changes in soil properties as a consequence of vegetable production in the Sydney Region, New South Wales, Australia. Australian Journal of Soil Research 45, 139-146.

Islam MA, Dowling PM, Milham PJ, Campbell LC, Jacobs BC, Garden DL (2006) Ranking aluminium tolerance and growth potential of Austrodanthonia accessions. Grassland Science 53, 127-132.

Milham PJ, Jinadasa KBPN, Collins D, Nicholls PJ, Hawkins CA, Wenzel RGW, Kaldor CJ, Senn AA, Humphris CS, Fabien J, Holford P, Conroy JP (2004) The effects of soil properties on the concentration of Cd extracted by 10 mM CaCl2: Empirical modelling for soils of the Sydney Basin.  Australian Journal of Soil Research 42, 799-813.

Alvarez R, Evans LA, Milham PJ, Wilson MA (2004) Effects of humic material on the precipitation of calcium phosphate. Geoderma 118, 245-260.

Islam MA, Dowling PM, Garden DL, Milham PJ (2003) Austrodanthonia–a productive pasture genus: a brief review: 2 Growth habit, nutritive value and production. Grassland Research 49, 36-37.

Islam MA, Dowling PM, Garden DL, Milham PJ (2003) Austrodanthonia–a productive pasture genus: a brief review: 1 Occurrence and importance. Grassland Research 49, 34-35.

Sarooshi RA, Cresswell GC, Tesoriero L, Milham PJ, Bachia I, Harris AM (2002)  Effect of biosolids compost on two NSW coastal soils used to grow vegetables. Australian Journal of Soil Research 40, 761-774.

Gribble KG, Conroy JP, Holford P, Milham PJ (2002) In vitro uptake of minerals by Gypsophila paniculata and hybrid eucalypts, and relevance to media mineral formulation. Australian Journal of Botany 50, 713-723.

Professional associations and activities

• Mentoring young scientists through post-graduate training;
• Research Associate, Centre for Plant and Food Sciences, UWS;
• NATA technical assessor;
• Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute;
• Certified Practising Soil Scientist;
• NSW representative on the executive of the Australasian Soil and Plant Analysis Council.

Fields of Research

• 050304 Soil Chemistry (excl. Carbon Sequestration Science)
• 050299 Environmental Science and Management not elsewhere classified
• 050306 Crop and Pasture Nutrition
• 050203 Environmental Education and Extension

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

Keyword/phrase list of research interests

• Environmental chemistry
• Animal breeding 
• Animal growth and development