University PhD Research Studentship
2017/18
School of Engineering and Built Environment /

Project Title: Occurrence and fate of emerging contaminants - determining spatial and temporal trends using modelling and monitoring techniques

Project Reference Number: S2017SEBE001

Key words: pharmaceutical analysis, modelling, monitoring, emerging contaminants

Applications are invited for a full-time PhD research studentship at Glasgow Caledonian University within the School of Engineering and Built Environment. The studentship of £19,100 per year is for a period of three years, subject to satisfactory progress. The studentship covers the payment of tuition fees (currently £4,300 for UK/EU students or £15,000 for international students) plus an annual stipend of £14,800 for UK/EU students or an annual scholarship of £4,100 for international students.

Project Summary

Background
Pharmaceutical micropollutants can reach the environment via a range of pathways; it is commonly assumed that residues in discharges from wastewater treatment plant are the main source. Toxic effects on aquatic organisms have been identified at environmentally relevant concentrations. Of particular concern is the occurrence and fate of antibiotic residues in the environment, as these are thought to have the potential to affect the environmental resistome and thus contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In addition, it has been suggested that other sewage-derived stressors to microbial organisms, such as disinfectants, may also drive increased resistance.
Whilst the contribution from centrally treated wastewater on the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment is relatively well documented, other pathways exist and are less well understood. Studies conducted by Dr. Helwig as part of the noPILLS project indicate that such other sources can be nevertheless be significant and could possibly including septic tanks, landfill effluent, sludge applied to agricultural land and / or veterinary sources. Further research is required to identify and quantify these with certainty. Furthermore, whilst the noPILLS work identified that the pharmaceutical load from wastewater discharges is subject to diurnal variation, temporal patterns in loads from other sources may be different and could display short-term spikes after rainfall or strong seasonal variation.
Pharmaceutical concentrations in sludges, slurries and soils have been much less studied. EU policy strongly supports sewage sludge application to agricultural land because of its nutrient and organic matter content. However, sludges do contain pharmaceutical and other micropollutants, with partitioning into solid and liquid compartments depending primarily on physicochemical properties. Slurries are also likely to contain residues from veterinary applications, whereas agricultural soils may additionally be impacted by direct excretion from animals. Apart from their potential contribution to aquatic concentrations, pharmaceuticals in sludges, slurries and soils may have adverse effects on soil biology and could affect both the resistome in soils or be taken up by plants or ingested by animals and affect resistomes further up the food chain.
The relative importance of sources, temporal variation of various inputs, transfer across environmental media (e.g. soils to water and water to sediment), and environmental degradation of such compounds is still largely unknown. Determining a compounds fate within the environment is particularly challenging, and involves understanding the physicochemical properties of the compound of interest. Modelling approaches have been investigated but require further research to be more routinely and more widely applicable. A starting point for the modelling aspect of the project would be multimedia fugacity models, where there may be requirements to obtain experimental measurements such as partitioning coefficients (depending on the substances of interest). Selection of suitable environmental monitoring methods and regimes is crucial to ensure validity of measured results. The proposed project uses both modelling and monitoring approaches to further the understanding of micropollutants in the environment, with a particular focus on those relevant to the AMR agenda.

Example References

1.  Health Protection Scotland 2016. Review of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) literature to identify and recommend research opportunities. NHS National Services, Glasgow
2.  Helwig et al. 2015. Spatial distribution of pharmaceutical pollution within a river catchment. Conference presentation, International Water Resources Association (IWRA), World Water Congress XV, Edinburgh.
3.  Morais et al. 2013. Multimedia fate modelling and comparative impact on freshwater ecosystems of pharmaceuticals from biosolids-amended soils. Chemosphere, 93. 252-262.
4.  noPILLS, 2015. Interreg IV B NEW project partnership 2012-2015 noPILLS report. Essen.
5.  Petrie et al. 2015. A review on emerging contaminants in wastewater and the environment: Current knowledge, understudied areas and recommendations for future monitoring. Water Research, 72. 3-27.
6.  Zhang et al. 2015. A study on temporal trends and estimates of fate of Bisphenol A in agricultural soils after sewage sludge amendment. Science of The Total Environment, 515-516. 1-11.

Aims

The aims of the project are to:
·  Select a relevant suite of analytes, with a focus on compounds that may contribute to AMR development
·  Conduct modelling of individual compounds to predict general partitioning behaviour in sludge amended soils and water-sediment interactions
·  Undertake sampling of solid and liquid environmental compartments using a suitable suite of monitoring methods in a case study catchment
·  After appropriate extraction techniques, carry out analyses of selected compounds using LC-MS-MS and other methods as appropriate
·  Determine temporal trends and biodegradation pathways of individual compounds within the samples
·  Identify the relative contribution of various pathways to concentrations in water and sediments
·  Conclude whether specific pharmaceutical compounds degrade overtime, or transform into other by-products that may be more harmful than the parent compound.

Research Supervisors

Candidates are encouraged to contact the following researchers for further details:

Dr. Karin Helwig, , http://www.gcu.ac.uk/ebe/staff/karin%20helwig/

Dr. Zulin Zhang, , http://www.hutton.ac.uk/staff/zulin-zhang

Dr. Moyra McNaughtan, , http://www.gcu.ac.uk/ebe/staff/moyra%20mcnaughton/.

Mode(s) of Study

The studentship is available as a:

·  PhD: 3 years full-time

·  PhD: pro-rata part-time

Eligibility

Applicants will normally hold a UK honours degree 2:1 (or equivalent); or a Masters degree in a subject relevant to the research project. Equivalent professional qualifications and any appropriate research experience may be considered. A minimum English language level of IELTS score of 6.5 (or equivalent) with no element below 6.0 is required. Some research disciplines may require higher levels.

Specific requirements of the project:

A driving license is desirable.

How to Apply

Candidates are encouraged to contact the research supervisor(s) for the project before applying. Applicants should download and complete the GCU Research Application Form, available from: http://www.gcu.ac.uk/phdopportunities stating the Project Title and Reference Number (listed above).

The completed GCU Research Application form should be sent with copies of academic qualifications (including IELTS if required), 2 references and any other relevant documentation to: . Applicants shortlisted for a PhD studentship will be contacted for an interview.

The closing date for applications is Monday 3 April 2017

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