Are you interested in a research career and in developing tomorrow’s computer systems for forecasting and control in urban water management? Then here is an opportunity to do a PhD in an internationally recognized research environment supported by some of the world’s leading environmental consulting and software developers.
Wider context of the project
This PhD scholarship is funded by the DTU Environment.
The overall aim of the PhD fellowship is to close the current knowledge gap, existing between state-of-the-art process models, predicting the fate of xenobiotic organic micro-pollutants (XOMs) and full-scale XOM removal efficiencies observed in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Major outputs of this project shall be a modeling framework developed for assessing the fate of selected pharmaceuticals in WWTPs.
The list of possible scientific collaborators include leading scientist in the field, working at DTU Environment, the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (Norway) and at the Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology-INRA-UR50 (France).
Scientific focus of the announced PhD position
Removal of anthropogenic pharmaceutical contaminants derived from point and network sources through conventional biological treatment processes is a significant but insufficient means in reducing the environmental impact.
The selection and development of, for instance, antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the environment is one of the greatest concerns with regard to the use of antimicrobials – a potential threat to public health. Consequently, the robust prediction of xenobiotic organic micro-pollutants (XOM) mass-balance around bioreactors is crucial to (i) improve the assessment of the environmental impact, (ii) assist the regional decision making process to optimize pollution control; (iii) develop robust control strategies, including advanced chemical processes combined with biological systems.
Research in the field of water and environmental biotechnology is concerned with describing XOM fate using experimental and mathematical modeling assessments. Simulation results obtained using conventional process models of xenobiotic organic micro-pollutant (XOM) fate in water discharges suggest significant discrepancies between measured (full-scale) data. As evidenced by our already published results, these model inefficiencies can be avoided using a model identification/calibration method developed in a former project.
The high number of pharmaceutical XOMs and the wide variety of biodegradation and speciation processes characteristic to these compounds require the development of a modeling framework, including process kinetics equations and assumptions made based on physico-chemical assessment of contaminants – an aim that this fellowship would advocate. The PhD fellow would carry out mathematical model identification, calibration and evaluation using an experimental database.
Additionally, the successful candidate would carry out or coordinate targeted experimental activities, if required. Model-based evaluation of possible engineering solutions to enhance XOM removal will also be undertaken. The simulation software WEST (MostForWater) with open code will be used by the fellow.
PhD at DTU Environment
As PhD student at DTU Environment you will be part of the scientific staff and treated as such. We are one of the leading university institutes in Europe with a large network worldwide. We have an international environment with an international MSc education and 60 PhD students from a number of countries. Copenhagen is a pleasant place to live with easy transport and a rich cultural life.
Salary and appointment terms
The salary and appointment terms are consistent with the current rules for PhD degree students. The period of employment is 3 years.
