About the Project
Fine dust particles are capable of penetrating deep into the lung and can contain a variety of harmful agents, including metals/metalloids, organic substances, microbes and other allergens. Their ultra-fine nature means that they may also migrate into the blood stream causing systemic adverse human health effects. Given that (a) communities are becoming more urbanised and (b) people spend up to 90% of their time indoors it is critically important that we are able to characterise potential exposures to such environmental agents so that a more complete understanding of the human health risks can be developed.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to be part of a new global network of participating institutions to investigate human exposure to potentially harmful contaminants in household dust collected via a citizen participation platform across three continents (Australia, Europe and North America; http://www.360dustanalysis.com). The PhD research project will include the characterisation of selected key components of indoor vaccum dusts (e.g. metals/metalloids; microbiome; black carbon). ‘Citizen scientists’ will be invited to submit their vacuum dust to the program for analysis, along with data about the home environment (metadata). A range of analytical instrumentation (e.g. XRF, ICP-OES, SEM) and methods (e.g. microbiome sequencing, bioaccessibility, GIS) can be utilised in the study and the data will inform home exposure studies.
Applicants will need good analytical skills and an ability to communicate to a high standard, including with the public, and to other scientists and regulators. Data from the project will contribute to an international resource and databank developed in collaboration with the DustSafe global network of institutions.
The DustSafe network provides a cotutelle option should the successful candidate be interested in exploring this additional opportunity.
Eligibility and How to Apply:
Please note eligibility requirement:
• Academic excellence of the proposed student i.e. 2:1 (or equivalent GPA from non-UK universities [preference for 1st class honours]); or a Masters (preference for Merit or above); or APEL evidence of substantial practitioner achievement.
• Appropriate IELTS score, if required.
For further details of how to apply, entry requirements and the application form, see
https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/research/postgraduate-research-degrees/how-to-apply/
Please ensure you quote the advert reference above on your application form.
Interviews week commencing 19th March 2018
Start Date: Flexible
References
Boisa, N., Elom, N., Dean, J.R., Deary, M., Bird, G., Entwistle, J.A. (2014). Development and application of an inhalation bioaccessibility method (IBM) for lead in the PM10 size fraction of soil. Environment International, 70, 132–142, DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2014.05.021
Cuthbertson, L., Amores-Arrocha, H., Malard, L., Els, N., Sattler, B. and Pearce, D. (2017) Characterisation of Arctic Bacterial Communities in the Air above Svalbard. Biology, 6 (2). pp. 29-51.
Deary, M. E., Bainbridge, S. J., Kerr, A., McAllister, A. & Shrimpton, T., (2016). Practicalities of mapping PM10 and PM2. 5 concentrations on city-wide scales using a portable particulate monitor. Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, 1-8, DOI: 10.1007/s11869-016-0394-3
Elom, N., Entwistle, J.A. and Dean, J.R., (2017). Use of Simulated Epithelium Lung Fluid in Assessing the Human Health Risk of Pb in Urban Street Dust. Science of the Total Environment, 579(1), 579:387-395, DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.11.085
Entwistle, J.A., Boisa, N., Dean, J.R. and Hunt, A. (2017). Enhancing the interpretation of in vitro bioaccessibility data at the individual particle level using Computer Controlled Scanning Electron Microscopy (CCSEM). Environmental Pollution, 228, 443–453. DOI:10.1016/j.envpol.2017.03.050
Ram, S.S., Kumar, R.V., Chaudhuri, P., Chanda, S., Santra, S.C., Deary, M. E., Sudarshan, M. and Chakraborty, A., (2014). Nuclear microscopy for air-pollutant characterization and its advantages over traditional techniques. Journal of Applied Spectroscopy, 81(1), 145-150, DOI: 10.1007/s10812-014-990
Pearce, D., Magiopoulos, I., Mowl, M., Tranter, M., Holt, G., Woodward, J. and Siegert, M., (2015) Microbiology: lessons from a first attempt at Lake Ellsworth. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences, 374 (2059).
Pearce, D., Alekhina, I., Terauds, A., Wilmotte, A., et al., (2016) Aerobiology over Antarctica – a new initiative for atmospheric ecology. Frontiers in Microbiology, 7 (16).
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