Development of novel micro-particle technology for removal of environmental pollutants from waste water

Studentships will start on 6th March 2016

A studentship is available immediately in the Sullied Sediments Group that consists of chemists, engineers, toxicologists and environmental scientists within the School of Mathematics and Physical Sciences and the School of Environmental Sciences, both part of the Faculty of Science and Engineering on the Hull University campus.

The studentship is part of a large European Union project involving members from Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, and the UK. The overall aim of this programme is to develop tools to assess sediments on sites in the North Sea Region’s Elbe, Humber and Scheldt river catchments, and make decisions with regard to managing them, through both remediation technology and changing citizen behaviour. The project sits within an interdisciplinary partnership of scientific experts, regulators and water managers.

This particular PhD studentship, based in Hull, will focus on development of novel micro-particle technology for removal of environmental pollutants from waste sources and is supervised by Dr Andrew Boa (Chemistry), Prof. Jeanette Rotchell (Environmental Sciences) and Prof. Nik Kapur (School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds)

Specifically, this studentship will investigate the application of novel, bio-sourced pollen-derived micro-particles for the removal of EU ‘Watch List’ chemicals from waste water streams and river sediments. Extraction of sporopollenin exine capsules (SECs) from plant pollens provides resilient, micron-sized and monodisperse capsules, which may be treated to change their surface functionality. The SECs can be used to adsorb certain pollutants from waste water in a lab settings. In this project, the technology will be further developed, first in batch and then flow systems, with the aim of designing, building and evaluating a prototype mid-scale flow system (in collaboration with Prof. Kapur) to remove EU ‘Watch List’ chemicals from water. Application of the technology to the removal of phosphates may also be considered in collaboration with a group in Belgium.

The successful applicant will join other PhDs in the Sullied Sediments Group, who are working on relevant analytical chemistry methods for sediment analysis as part of an internationally established research team in the areas of environmental analytical chemistry and lab-on-a-chip devices.

The preferred start date is 6th March 2017. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the project, applicants with a good BSc (1st or 2.1) or MSc degree in any area of Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Analytical Science or related discipline can all be considered. The Studentship will pay a stipend of £14,500 per annum (tax free) and the tuition fee at the Home/EU rate.

To apply for this Scholarships please click on the Apply button below.

Please quote “Sullied Sediments” in your application/enquiries.

Admissions Office, The University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX
Tel: +44(0)1482 466850, Fax: +44(0)1482 442290, Email: [Email Address Removed]

For more information about this project contact:

Dr Andrew Boa
School of Mathematics and Physical Sciences
University of Hull
Cottingham Road
Hull HU6 7RX, UK

Tel: +44(0)1482 465022
Email: [Email Address Removed]

Professor Jeanette Rotchell
School of Environmental Sciences
University of Hull
Cottingham Road
Hull HU6 7RX, UK
Tel: +44(0)1482 465333
Email: [Email Address Removed]