About the Project
A NERC GW4 + DTP2 Project
Link to project PDF: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/chemistry/documents/Tackling%20the%20Plastic%20Waste%20Problem%20NERC%20GW4%20DTP2%202019.pdf
Lead Supervisors: Dr. Ian Bull, University of Bristol (UoB), School of Chemistry, Head of NERC Life Sciences
Mass Spectrometry Facility (NERC-LSMSF)
Co-Supervisors: Dr. Steve Roberts, British Antarctic Survey (British Antarctic Survey), Dr. David Naafs, UoB,
School of Chemistry; Dr. Huw Griffiths, Dr. Claire Waluda, BAS; Dr. Kevin Hughes, BAS Environment Office.
Project partners: Dr Anish Warrier, Centre for Climate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education,
India; Prof. Rahul Mohan, National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR), India.
Project Background
Plastic pollution is a global issue receiving ever increasing levels of public attention. More than 80% (150 million tonnes) of all ocean pollution is plastic. As a petroleum-based product, plastic (polymer) ingestion is harmful to wildlife, human well-being and global-national economies. By 2050, ocean plastic is expected to weigh more than fish, unless costly and ongoing clean-up operations are put in place urgently. Most ocean plastic ‘litter’ originates on land with major rivers providing important source-to-sink pathways into the ocean. How effectively the problem of plastic pollution in the ocean can be resolved is dependent on establishing effective methods for surveying, quantifying and modelling pollution pathways on land and examining how these can vary through time. A key area in need of further research is developing long-term strategies to reduce the amount of plastic pollution reaching the ocean from the terrestrial environment.
Project Aims and Methods
• Develop novel methods to characterise the distribution of plastic waste in sediments of major river systems in temperate (UK), subtropical to tropical (India), and polar regions.
• Model source-to-sink litter pathways inland from major coastal river systems.
• Provide quantitative spatial and temporal pollution datasets for effective remediation strategies.
Work packages
The project will primarily involve the acquisition and statistical evaluation of Py-GC/MS data (a new analytical system for evaluating plastics in the environment) and Py-GC-Q/TOFMS data (pre-existing instrumentation) as a means of rapidly quantifying micro/nanoplastic contamination of terrestrial sediments, soils and products generated by the waste and water treatment industries. Key tasks include:
1. Develop pollution/effluent pathway sampling and monitoring strategies and assess seasonal changes in plastic contamination for key river catchments in SW England.
2. Develop microplastic and nanoplastic analytical protocols using state-of-the-art techniques (Py-GC/MS and Py-GC-Q/TOMS) and a targeted ‘omics-based approach.
3. Working with project partners from India, assess plastics source-to-sink pathways environments for key rivers systems in SW India to build a more quantitative global picture of micro/nano-scale plastic contamination and improve remediation practices.
4. Trace plastic contamination of sediments and soils from industrial, urban and globally ‘pristine’ environments (including Antarctica, the Arctic).
Candidate Requirements
Good laboratory/data analytical skills and a willingness to learn new techniques.A background in Chemistry, Environmental or Earth Sciences is desirable, as is an aptitude for statistical analysis and an interest in pollution monitoring/remediation. There will be opportunities to help shape the direction of the project.
Training
You will be fully-trained in organic geochemistry analytical techniques at the OGU at the Universityof Bristol, one of the oldest and most successful organic geochemistry groups in the world. You will join a vibrant Plastics Research Group at BAS, with regular opportunities to meet with key industry and government stakeholders and the newly-formed Cambridge Centre for Circular Economy of Plastics. There will be regular web-based meetings with Indian partners and opportunities to develop field-sampling strategies via Indian/UK student government exchange schemes. You will have access to optional NERC training courses and engage with the GW4+ /BAS student training program.
Links
School URL http://www.bristol.ac.uk/chemistry/courses/postgraduate/
BAS DTP website: https://www.bas.ac.uk/science/science-and-students/nerc-doctoral-trainingpartnerships/2017-doctoral-training-projects/
NERC GW4+ DTP Website http://nercgw4plus.ac.uk/
Bristol NERC GW4+ DTP Prospectus http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/2019/doctoral/phdgreat-western-four-dtp/
Application deadline: 16:00 GMT, Monday 7 January 2019
How to apply to the University of Bristol http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/
General Enquiries - Bristol NERC GW4+ DTP Administrator Email: [Email Address Removed]
References
Background reading list
Fischer, M. and Scholz-Böttcher, B.M. (2017) Simultaneous Trace Identification and Quantification of
Common Types of Microplastics in Environmental Samples by Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography−Mass
Spectrometry. Environmental Science and Technology 51, 5052−5060.
Hendrickson, E., Minor, C. and Schreiner, K. (2018) Microplastic Abundance and Composition in Western
Lake Superior As Determined via Microscopy, Pyr-GC/MS, and FTIR. Environmental Science and
Technology 52, 1787−1796.
Hurley, R. et al. (2018). Microplastic contamination of river beds significantly reduced by catchment-wide
flooding. Nature Geoscience 11, 251-257.
Martin, G.J. et al. (2015). Methodology Used for the Detection and Identification of Microplastics—A
Critical Appraisal. In M. Bergmann et al. (eds.), Marine Anthropogenic Litter, p. 201-227. DOI 10.1007/978-
3-319-16510-3_8
Reed, S. et al. (2018). Microplastics in marine sediments near Rothera Research Station, Antarctica. Marine
Pollution Bulletin, 133, 460-463.
Silva, A.B. et al. (2018). Microplastics in the environment: Challenges in analytical chemistry - A review.
Analytica Chimica Acta 1017, 1-19.
Waller, C.L. et al. (2017). Microplastics in the Antarctic marine system: An emerging area of research.
Science of the Total Environment 598,220-227.
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