PhD Studentship - From Catchment to Tap Tracing Contaminants of Emerging Contaminants through South West Drinking-water Sources

(a) Chemicals of emerging concern (CECs), notably PFAS, are increasingly detected in freshwaters abstracted for UK drinking water, as standards tighten (DWI, EU Watch List). Yet we cannot say which CECs reach source waters, where they come from, or which pass through treatment. This project asks: Which CECs occur across South West catchments and reservoirs, and from which sources? How do they partition, persist and transform between water, sediment and reservoir? Which escape removal by treatment such as granular activated carbon (GAC)? Answers underpin evidence-based catchment management and regulation.

(b) The Doctoral Researcher (DR) will design seasonal sampling from catchment to tap, including raw, in-process and treated waters at operational sites not publicly accessible. Suspect and non-target screening by GC- and LC-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), with targeted PFAS quantification, will characterise occurrence and sources. In vitro bioassays (effect-based monitoring) will link chemical profiles to biological activity, while laboratory columns and full-scale works data quantify GAC removal and breakthrough.

(c) Supervisors will provide hands-on training in fieldwork design, HRMS data acquisition and processing, compound identification, cheminformatics (Python), bioassay interpretation and sorption experiments, with weekly supervision and regular writing feedback. A CASE internship at South West Water will provide training in water-treatment operations, compliance monitoring and regulatory practice, building careers across environmental, regulatory and utility sectors.

(d) CASE partner South West Water will provide access to reservoirs, treatment works and operational data, samples beyond publicly accessible locations, a named co-supervisor and a minimum three-month internship, ensuring findings address real sector priorities. Exeter's CREWW brings non-target screening capability and Bristol (Dr Charlotte Lloyd) catchment contaminant expertise, with extended time in both groups. The DR will choose which catchments, contaminant classes and strand (sources, effect-based monitoring or treatment) to prioritise, supported by joint supervisory meetings with all partners.

Funding

For eligible students the studentship will cover home tuition fees plus an annual tax-free stipend.

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