Academic interests
Georg Becher has more than 30 years of continuous involvement in structural characterisation and chemical analysis of organic compounds.
His present main focus is on human exposure assessment for organic pollutants through the use of chemical biomarkers.
He directs research and development of analytical techniques for the determination of trace amounts of organic pollutants in human samples.
State-of -the-art analytical methods are employed such as gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-triple stage mass spectrometry.
The methods have been applied for biomonitoring persistent organic pollutants, such as dioxins, PCBs, brominated flame retardants and perfluorinated alkyl substances in breast milk and blood.
Further, methods are developed for the determination of transformation products of reactive and easily metabolised compounds in urine.
Teaching
Georg Becher contributes to courses in environmental chemistry and separation methods.
Academic background
Georg Becher is Director of the Department of Analytical Chemistry in the Division of Environmental Medicine at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and Adjunct Professor in Environmental Analytical Chemistry at the University of Oslo.
He obtained his PhD in Physical Organic Chemistry from the University of Göttingen, Germany in 1974.
He has been a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Oslo and the University of Regensburg, Germany, and has been a Visiting Scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA.
Prior to his present appointment, he has held positions as researcher at the Centre for Industrial Research, Oslo, Norway and as Head of Research Department of Analytical Chemistry, Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo.
Present trusts held
- Member of the International Advisory Board of the International Symposium Series on Halogenated Persistent Organic Pollutants
- National Representative in Division VII on Chemistry and Health of IUPAC
Research cooperation
Becher collaborates with a number of national and international research institutions within research projects financed by the Research Council of Norway and EU’s Seventh Framework Programme.