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Research Questions
• What are the best instrument’s parameters (e.g. chromatographic conditions, MS parameters, ionisation sources) for identification of PFAS at trace levels in environmental and biological samples?
• What are the best extractions techniques (e.g. Solid Phase Extraction, Accelerated Solvent Extraction, Liquid-Liquid Extraction) for the analysis of PFAS?
• How pollutants (PFAS) enter a food chain and relate to the accumulation of contaminants, in biological tissues by aquatic organisms (i.e. marine amphipods), from sources such as water and food?
• How PFAS (incl. GenX and its degradation products) accumulate in a biological organism (i.e. marine amphipods) over time and their toxicological effects at environmentally realistic ambient concentrations?
Research Objectives
• Develop analytical methodologies and screening platforms based on the cutting-edge High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry for identification of PFAS (incl. GenX);
• Investigate how PFAS enter a food chain and relate to the accumulation of contaminants in biological tissues of aquatic organisms (i.e. marine amphipods), from sources such as water and food.
• Investigate how PFAS (incl. GenX and its degradation products) can be accumulated in a biological organism over time.
Programme Methodology is summarised as followed:
• Perform literature review on PFAS (e.g. available analytical techniques for their analysis, bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms);
• Training on sampling, sample preparation, and HRMS and hyphenated analytical techniques;
• Training on advanced data analysis tools (PCA, PMF, HCA);
• Development of analytical methods and a platform for targeted and untargeted screening of PFAS;
• Training on cultivation of test organisms and exposure to compounds of interests
• Extraction and analysis of test organisms for PFAS using developed HRMS methods
• Verification of the possible adverse effects and their relationship to the measured internal doses.
• Disseminate obtained results through publishing project findings in journals and presenting at national/international conferences and scientific meetings.
Applicants
For further details see: https://www.coventry.ac.uk/research/research-students/making-an-application/
How to Apply
To find out more about the project please contact Ivan Kourtchev
To apply on line please visit: https://pgrplus.coventry.ac.uk/
All applications require full supporting documentation, a covering letter, plus a 2000-word supporting statement showing how the applicant’s expertise and interests are relevant to the project.