PhD Studentship: Sustainable Technologies for the Removal of Recalcitrant Micropollutants in Wastewater Effluents

Start date: 30/09/2024    

Studentship funding

Sponsored by EPSRC and Royal HaskoningDHV, this studentship will provide a bursary of £24,000 per year with fees paid. All training and placement (overseas/industry) costs will also be covered, subject to supervisor approval.           

Type of opportunity

Fully-funded studentship - Opportunities which are fully funded (e.g. covers all fees and stipend)

Eligibility & Related Project Details

Type of studentship: CDT

Fee status of eligible applicants: UK and International

Duration of Award if full time preferred*: 4 years

1st Supervisor: Dr Pablo Campo 

2nd Supervisor: Dr Yadira Bajon

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A PhD project at the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Water Infrastructure and Resilience (WIRe)

This exciting fully funded PhD, with an enhanced stipend of £24,000 per annum, will facilitate the selection and tailoring of wastewater polishing technologies by providing insights into the molecular interactions between pharmaceuticals and matrix constituents, and the effect thereof on the pharmaceutical removal.

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As part of the EU zero-pollution action plan, a recent revision of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD) will require new treatment (quaternary) for all the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) over 150,000 p.e. as well as for those over 10,000 p.e. discharging into sensitive areas. Following the Swiss model, the revision requires an 80% removal of selected indicator substances, mainly pharmaceuticals and personal care products (painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics). The revised directive is expected to ultimately impact on the performance of UK WWTPs, which will require water utilities to assess technologies and practices for future micropollutants consents. This project aims to understand and develop technologies that can act as a polishing step for pharmaceuticals removal in WWTPs, while aligning with sector’s sustainability ambitions (e.g. low carbon footprint, minimal energy and chemical consumption).

Previous work on technologies for treatment of wastewaters highlighted that various mechanisms like adsorption, oxidation and biodegradation can be utilised for the removal of organic micropollutants. Also, the role of other constituents present in treated effluents on pollutants accessibility, degradability and removal potentially affects the efficiency and sustainability of removal technologies (i.e. matrix effect). Clearly the impact of the matrix effect on the most promising treatments is important to understand to enable the selection of the best technologies for full-scale practical applications.

Entry requirements

Applicants should have a minimum equivalent to a UK upper second-class degree (2.1) and preferably an MSc in a relevant subject such as chemistry or chemical engineering. The ideal candidate should have some understanding of chemical kinetics and wastewater treatment.

Funding

Sponsored by EPSRC and Royal HaskoningDHV, this studentship will provide a bursary of £24,000 per year with fees paid. All training and placement (overseas/industry) costs will also be covered, subject to supervisor approval.

The studentship is open to UK and international students (including EU countries) however due to funding rules, no more than 30% of the projects in this cohort can be allocated to international students.

How to apply

For further information please contact:

Name: Dr Pablo Campo

Email: [email protected]

T: (0) 1234 750111 Ext: 4332

If you are eligible to apply for this studentship, please complete the online application form via the above ‘Apply’ button.

Keywords

Wastewater, pharmaceuticals, effluent management, sustainability