A Diamond–Plymouth Partner PhD Studentship
The Scientific Premise
Plastic pollution represents a global environmental challenge. The large plastic particles can degrade to produce/release nanoplastics (NPs) that can enter the tissues of aquatic organisms. For example, up to 700,000 NPs can pass across the gut of fish in four hours, and once in the body, these NPs can enter the internal organs. However, the links between accumulation, the effects on the gut epithelium, and cellular storage and remobilisation (i.e. excretion) following chronic exposure remain unexplored.
Contaminants such as NPs do not occur in the environment in isolation, and the presence of other particles will affect their bioavailability and toxicity. Recently, engineered nanomaterial (ENM) production has increased, including zinc oxide (ZnO) due to its advantageous properties (e.g. piezoelectric, semiconductive, antibacterial), and these ZnO particles can interact with large microplastics through surface sorption. However, the interaction of ZnO with small-scale plastic pollution (in this case, NPs), and the consequences for animal exposure, including uptake and toxicity, are presently unclear.
This project will seek to understand the dietary exposure of NPs and ZnO co-exposure in fish by characterising the dynamics of NP and ZnO interactions in artificial gut fluids simulating those of the stomach and intestines and by assessing the chronic toxicity and accumulation to fish using in vitro and in vivo methodologies.
Time Division
The student will spend 50% of their time at the University of Plymouth and 50% at Diamond Light Source Ltd, the UK’s national synchrotron science facility, located at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire. Please note that the successful applicant will be based in each institution for two years with no option to work fully remotely.
Attributes of Suitable Applicants
(1) Applicants should have a first or upper second-class honours degree in an appropriate subject or a relevant master's qualification.
(2) Knowledge of biology, toxicology or chemistry laboratory working processes and safety procedures is a must, including experience in how to write/follow risk assessments and (Bio)COSHH forms.
(3) If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum English requirements for the programme, with an IELTS Academic score of 6.5 (and no less than 5.5 in each component test area) or equivalent.
This project is jointly funded for four years by the University of Plymouth and Diamond Light Source Ltd. Successful students will receive a stipend of no less than the standard UKRI stipend rate, currently set at £18,622 for the academic year 2023 to 2024 (the rates for subsequent academic years have not been published), plus a £2,000 per annum stipend top-up. Full funding is only available to qualified applicants who are eligible for home fees; applicants subject to international fees will be required to fund the difference between the home and international tuition fee rates (approximately £12,697 for the 2023/24 academic year).
Diamond Light Source is the UK's national synchrotron science facility, located at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire.
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