PhD Studentship: Decontamination of Drinking Water Supplies (Removal of Dissolved Organic Carbon) by Novel Magneto-composite Design and Processing.

This PhD studentship is an exciting, fully funded opportunity to work as part of an internationally renowned scientific and engineering team to develop a new innovative technology to meet and overcome the serious challenges of increasing dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the UK’s drinking water supplies.

Background

In the UK, and elsewhere, climate change is causing increased concentrations of DOC in peatland-fed raw waters. DOC can react with chlorine to produce carcinogenic disinfection by-products. This project aims to develop a new, effective, proof-of-concept process for removing DOC from raw drinking waters, using novel magnetic composite materials.

Objectives

The student will be directly involved in both the synthesis of the novel magnetic materials (in collaboration with Prof. Barbara Maher, Lancaster Environment Centre and Dr James Byrne, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol), and, in collaboration with an Engineering-based supervisor (Dr Farid Aiouache) and a dedicated Research Assistant, tailoring the use of the new materials in the water treatment process. Specifically, the PhD project will address the following objectives:

• Develop cost-effective, controlled processes for production of novel magneto-composites, with selected compositions, particle sizes and exchange properties.
• Demonstrate DOC removal using the new materials, at various experimental scales (with the aim of reaching pilot-scale demonstration by end of Year 3)
• Develop understanding of the underlying chemistry and associated transport phenomena inside the engineered flow process unit.
• With our business specialist (Dr Alan Gilchrist), help to develop business and service models from technical and economic perspectives to support process scale-up and expansion.

Qualifications and experience

• Candidates should be highly motivated, well-organised and have a relevant degree at 2.1 minimum in chemistry, environmental chemistry, chemical engineering, or related disciplines.
• Previous experimental experience in water processing and analytical chemistry techniques (e.g. ICP-OES/MS; UV-vis spectroscopy, etc.) is not essential but would be beneficial.
• Excellent skills in project management, practical laboratory knowledge, data processing, record keeping and organisation, and professional working attitude with a multidisciplinary project team.
• Excellent communication skills, including preparing oral presentations, reports etc.

Funding

This project is fully funded by OFWAT and Lancaster University’s Environment Centre and the School of Engineering and covers the tuition fee and a standard tax-free stipend at UKRI rates for three years for UK applicants (£19,237 for 24/25 academic year). The successful candidate, who will start no later than October 2024, will have the opportunity to contribute to an ambitious project of one of the UK's most research-intensive universities.

Enquiries

For informal enquiries to learn more about the PhD project candidates would be welcome to contact Professor Barbara Maher (b.maher@lancaster.ac.uk) and/or Dr James Byrne (james.byrne@bristol.ac.uk). Interested applicants may contact Dr Farid Aiouache (f.aiouache@lancaster.ac.uk) with a copy of their CV and a covering letter explaining their suitability for the project.

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