PhD Studentship - Developing a Comprehensive 3D Model for the Use of Nanoparticles in Groundwater Remediation

Research theme: “Groundwater remediation”, “Environmental application of nanotechnology”, “Groundwater modelling”, “Aquifer”, “MODFLOW model”, “Nanoparticle transport in porous media”, “Nanoparticle reactions in porous media”

How to apply: uom.link/pgr-apply-2425

No. of positions: 1

This 4 year PhD is fully funded for home students. The successful candidate will receive an annual tax free stipend set at the UKRI rate, £20,780 for 2025/26, and tuition fees will be paid.

The use of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in groundwater remediation has become common in many countries, whereas comprehensive modelling codes that can be used for the design and analysis of such remediation strategies are too limited. Such a modelling code needs to consider key processes that occur for the transport of ENPs in subsurface environments (Babakhani et al. 2017, Adv. Coll. Interf. Sci., doi: 10.1016/j.cis.2017.06.002) and their reaction with targeted contaminants (Fagerlund et al. 2012, J. Contam. Hydrol., doi: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2011.08.011) in order to accurately estimate the remediation efficiency and the risk of offsite migration of ENPs. In this PhD project, the student will further build on the previous modification of MT3D-USGS code (Babakhani, 2019, Sci. Rep., doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-50493-6) to consider all important processes related to ENP transport in porous media and their reactions with candidate groundwater contaminants. These processes will be included in the Fortran-based modules of the MT3D-USGS code. Having prior experience with Fortran programming and familiarity with the MT3D-USGS model or similar models from the MODFLOW family is a prerequisite to conducting this project. The student will then verify and validate the model using observation data from previous studies and current 1-D or 2-D models. The student will work at the University of Manchester under the supervision of Dr. Peyman Babakhani, and also collaborate with Dr. Vivek Bedekar from S.S. Papadopulos & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm in the USA.

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. They also need to be familiar with the MODFLOW model family and demonstrate programming skills, particularly with Fortran.

To apply, please contact the supervisor, Dr. Peyman Babakhani - peyman.babakhani@manchester.ac.uk. Please make sure to include your CV with a list of publications, details of your current level of study, academic background (including dates of previous degrees), and any relevant experience and add a paragraph about your motivation to study this PhD project.

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