Performance of septic tanks for pharmaceutical removal and their impact to water quality
School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University (RGU), Aberdeen
Project background
Pharmaceutical drugs are environmental pollutants found in surface waters globally. Most research has focussed on pharmaceuticals released in effluents from centralised wastewater treatment plants. However, a notable portion of the population in Scotland are served by septic tank systems. These septic tanks can pollute surrounding surface waters with pharmaceuticals, but have received little attention to date. Therefore, a number of research gaps exist on the role that septic tanks play in the environmental dissemination of pharmaceuticals. To address these knowledge gaps, the project objectives are:
Project Management
The project is funded by RGU and Scottish Water. The student will be based at RGU, Aberdeen under the supervision of Dr Bruce Petrie and Dr Kyari Yates. You will be required to conduct fieldwork throughout Scotland and spend short periods of time at Scottish Water laboratories. The studentship will be of 36 months duration, commencing in January 2021. The studentship is fully funded and include Home/EU tuition fees as well as a tax-free stipend of £15,418 per annum. Non-EU students may also apply but will be required to fund the difference between Home/EU fees and International fees.
Key Skills
Applicants should have, or expect to obtain a first-class or upper second-class Honours degree in Environmental Chemistry or a related discipline. Strong analytical skills including sample preparation (e.g., solid phase extraction) and instrumental analysis (e.g., liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry) are highly desirable. Applicants should have excellent personal and communication skills, strong professionalism and be confident working on their own initiative. A driving licence and willingness to travel to undertake fieldwork is essential.
Applications
Applications can be emailed any time before 12 noon on Thursday 17th September 2020. The application should consist of a single PDF file containing a covering letter or personal statement of interest (500 words maximum) and a CV. Further information such as passport details or transcripts may be requested during the short-listing stage.
All enquiries should be addressed to Dr Bruce Petrie
Situated on one of the most beautiful campuses in the UK, the university provides facilities that will have a real influence on your capacity to learn. Our teaching staff have an outstanding reputation for quality and academic research and our track record in graduate employment is amongst the best in the UK. Our range of degree courses include online degrees as well as traditional taught courses in subjects as diverse as art and design, management and engineering. Resonating through our culture is the desire to foster collaborative relationships with local, regional and global communities to develop socially responsible citizens and promote ethical behaviour.
Robert Gordon University has a heritage going back 250 years, and it was granted university status in 1992. Since then the university has gone from strength to strength, proactively engaging with businesses in the development of many of its degree courses and meeting regional and national needs at a time of constant change and development. As a result we have a reputation for producing graduates that are highly sought after by employers. Today Robert Gordon University delivers more than 300 courses to over 16,000 full and part-time students from 130 countries. Over the last decade we have consistently had one of the best records of any UK university for graduate-level employment and we were quoted as the top UK university for graduate employment by the Higher Education Statistics Agency in August 2015.
Robert Gordon University has a heritage going back 250 years, and it was granted university status in 1992. Since then the university has gone from strength to strength, proactively engaging with businesses in the development of many of its degree courses and meeting regional and national needs at a time of constant change and development. As a result we have a reputation for producing graduates that are highly sought after by employers.
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