PhD Studentship: Enzymatic Routes for the Oxidative Degradation of Waste Electronics

This project is funded by an UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) iCASE Award in partnership with QinetiQ Ltd. for 48 months. The funding is for UK students and your will receive a tax free stipend set at the UKRI rate of £18,622.

Plastics-based materials have widespread applications globally in a range of industrial and consumer goods. However, there has been a steady accumulation of discarded plastics and there is now growing awareness that they present a significant hazard to the natural environment and human health. Of particular concern are “mixed” plastic wastes, where the plastics are intimately mixed with other materials such as in waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). These plastic wastes typically also contain heavy metals, glass fibres and/or flame retardants, which pose a serious additional environmental threat.

The critical step in the recycling of the plastic components from WEEE is the separation of the “organic” plastics from the “inorganic” metal and mineral constituents. This step enables the recovery of any economically valuable metals, and prevents it from being a potential source of environmental contamination. Processes that decompose plastics into small molecular fragments will facilitate efficient removal of the inorganics, and also enable the organic materials (which form the bulk of the waste) to be reused as chemical feedstocks or safely disposed.

This project aims to recombinantly engineer oxidative enzymes and the (bio)chemical reaction pathways involved in the break-down of polymers used in electronic circuit boards. Thus, the research will involve elements of mutagenesis and production of enzymes, the chemical analysis of the enzymatic reactions. It may also include the chemical synthesis of small molecule models of the polymers and the computational modelling of enzyme-substrate binding. An interest in the application of automated (robotic) high-throughput experimentation would also be beneficial. Candidates are not expected to have expertise in all these areas at the outset, as training will be provided as appropriate.

This research will suit a chemist, biochemist or molecular biologist with an interest in working on a varied and multidisciplinary project. The successful candidate will join a growing team of researchers from a range of backgrounds from chemistry, molecular biology and biophysics. They will receive a broad scientific training across these areas, as appropriate to their background. The research will be based at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (www.mib.ac.uk), which offers state-of-the-art laboratories, instrumentation and facilities. Informal enquiries can be directed at the supervisor Dr. Lu Shin Wong (L.s.Wong@manchester.ac.uk)

Entry requirements:

Comments/amends: Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2.1 honours degree or a master’s (or international equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering related discipline. 

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