This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the NERC Great Western Four+ Doctoral Training Partnership (GW4+ DTP) for entry in October 2022. The GW4+ DTP consists of the Great Western Four alliance of the Universities of Bath, Bristol and Exeter and Cardiff University plus five prestigious Research Organisation partners: British Antarctic Survey, British Geological Survey, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, the Natural History Museum and Plymouth Marine Laboratory. The partnership aims to provide a broad multi-disciplinary training, designed to produce tomorrow’s leaders in earth and environmental science.
Supervisory Team:
Lead Supervisor: Dr Simon Lewis, University of Bath, Department of Chemistry
Co-Supervisor: Dr Allison Schaap, National Oceanography Centre, Department of Ocean Technology and Engineering
Co-Supervisor: Dr Jannis Wenk, University of Bath, Department of Chemical Engineering
Project Background:
Advancing our understanding of ocean biogeochemistry, biology, and ecosystems relies on the ability to make observations both in the ocean and at the critical boundaries between the ocean and other earth systems at relevant spatial and temporal scales. To achieve this requires the development of low-cost sensors that are able to function autonomously for prolonged periods, e.g. onboard a buoy at sea. Great advances have been made through the use of miniaturised technology, so called “lab-on-a-chip” (LOC) devices. These can be used to quantify various analytes by measuring light absorbance of a chemical sensor molecule whose UV/vis spectrum changes in the presence of the analyte in question (i.e. a “colorimetric” sensor).
The team at Bath have worked for several years on developing such colorimetric sensor molecules based on azulene, an unusual aromatic molecule whose colour (and fluorescence properties) depend on the substituents attached to it. We developed sensors that can detect analytes such as mercury and nitrite ions, which were intended for applications in drinking water safety in the developing world. However we are now seeking to employ sensors of this type for analysis of seawater, and we are now seeking a new PhD student to take up the project.
Project Aims and Methods:
The project will involve the student designing new azulene-based sensor molecules in conjunction with the supervisory team, and then synthesising them. This will require use of various synthetic chemistry techniques and we propose also to carry out computational modelling to predict the properties of the new designs before synthesising them. With new sensor molecules in hand, the student will characterise them spectroscopically at Bath (NMR, UV/vis, fluorescence, etc.) and determine their sensitivity and selectivity for the analyte(s) of interest both in pure water and in artificial sea water. In later phases of the project, we anticipate the student will work with NOC personnel to evaluate the best performing new sensor molecules in LOC devices, with the ultimate aim of trialling new sensor(s) at sea. We have a “wish list” of analytes we would like to develop colorimetric sensors for, based on the greatest interest (analytes that play important roles in marine environments) and need (analytes where current detection methods have limitations, or no colorimetric method exists), including ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, silicate, nitrous oxide, arsenic, lead, cadmium, etc.
Project Partners:
Based in Southampton, the Ocean Technology and Engineering group at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), of which Dr Schaap is the associate head, are leaders in the development and deployment of at-sea autonomous systems. Our collaboration is an exciting opportunity for a student to undertake a truly multidisciplinary research project encompassing both sensor molecule design and synthesis, and also engineering of the LOC sensor systems.
Training:
Whilst at Bath the student will receive comprehensive training in modern chemical synthesis and methods of characterisation and analysis. The project will involve periods of time spent working at NOC (the extent of which depends on project direction as driven by the student) – Bath and Southampton are only 90 mins apart by train. There is scope for the student to be involved in the at-sea testing and there is also an expectation that the student will present their research at multiple conferences/meetings, including at least one international meeting. Both institutions host regular lectures from visiting speakers (zoom and/or in person) who are leading researchers in their respective fields, which the student will attend.
Candidate Requirements:
Applicants for a studentship must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in Chemistry or Natural Sciences with a chemistry strand. Any prior experience in environmental science or supramolecular chemistry is also beneficial, but not essential.
Enquiries and Applications:
Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Dr Simon Lewis, [Email Address Removed].
Formal applications should be made via the University of Bath’s online application form for a PhD in Chemistry.
When completing the form, please identify your application as being for the NERC GW4+ DTP studentship competition in Section 3 Finance (question 2) and quote the project title and lead supervisor’s name in the ‘Your research interests’ section. If you wish, you may apply for more than one project within the same application but you should submit a separate personal statement for each one.
More information about applying for a PhD at Bath may be found on our website.
We welcome and encourage student applications from under-represented groups. We value a diverse research environment. If you have circumstances that you feel we should be aware of that have affected your educational attainment, then please feel free to tell us about it in your application form. The best way to do this is a short paragraph at the end of your personal statement.
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