Exploring and imaging nano- to micro-scale graphite-organic interactions underpinning novel water treatments
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Earth Atmospheric and Env Sciences
Abstract
In this project the effectiveness of this process for the destruction of a variety of organic and organometallic compounds, such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and tributyltin, in synthetic and complex (natural) water matrices will be
assessed. This will be done using, small/lab scale set ups as well as larger, industry size treatment units. A variety of state of the art analytical and imaging technologies, including gas chromatography and/or liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, attenuated total reflectance and in situ multiple internal reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy will be used to examine the fundamental relationships behind the attachment, detachment and possible fragmentation reactions that occur on the adsorbent surface during the process. These will include experiments to characterise the starting material and to acquire snapshots of ex situ reacted surfaces. To complement the imaging work we will also utilise the recently NERC-funded NIAFEM (Nanoscale Imaging and analysis of environmental materials) instrument, which is unique in the UK and combines environmental scanning electron microscopy, -Raman and -X-ray fluorescence. These techniques have the potential to allow detailed information about the organic composition and structure at the single and sub-particle level. Modelling of adsorbate-organics interactions will be used to produce predictive models for different classes of organic/organometallic contaminants. Critically, the synergy of the lab scale and larger scale experiments, the use of state of the art analytical/imaging techniques and modelling will allow the effectiveness of the destruction process to be deduced, providing a step change in our understanding of this potentially important novel water treatment method.
The student working on this cross-disciplinary project will gain a wide breadth of training in hydrology, organic (geo)chemistry, environmental mineralogy/surface chemistry and analytical (geo)chemistry and would suit a student with a background in any of these fields. He/she will be based in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and will have access to world-class facilities, including the recently refurbished Organic Geochemistry Laboratories and the NERC-funded NIAFEM facility, in the Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science at UoM. Outputs will be captured in a thesis of peer reviewed publications. The student will work closely with the industrial partner in this project, Arvia Technology UK, bringing appropriate research budget enhancements, access to industry size units for the larger scale experiments and exposure to a thriving industrial environment. Arvia Technology Ltd has established research facilities at The Heath Business and Technical Park in Runcorn to commercialise the (patented) process of adsorption coupled with electrochemical regeneration for the destruction of aqueous organics. It has received a multitude of awards for innovation, sustainability and implementation (IChemE, IET, RSC, Innovate 10, Rushlight, 4I) and also featured on the Guardian's Global Cleantech 100 List. The student will act as the liaison between UoM and Arvia and will be responsible for the transfer of all essential academic knowledge acquired during this project into industrially valuable and useful processes/protocols. He/she will also be involved in a range of commercial activities within Arvia, will be required to regularly attend Arvia's technical team meetings and present research updates ideally on a (bi)monthly basis. This will ensure that the student will gain an understanding of the regulatory requirements needed in the water industry, the commercial position and opportunities within the industry and IP awareness.
This project brings together a team of (academic) supervisors with complementary experience in the fields mentioned above and collective experience of wat
assessed. This will be done using, small/lab scale set ups as well as larger, industry size treatment units. A variety of state of the art analytical and imaging technologies, including gas chromatography and/or liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, attenuated total reflectance and in situ multiple internal reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy will be used to examine the fundamental relationships behind the attachment, detachment and possible fragmentation reactions that occur on the adsorbent surface during the process. These will include experiments to characterise the starting material and to acquire snapshots of ex situ reacted surfaces. To complement the imaging work we will also utilise the recently NERC-funded NIAFEM (Nanoscale Imaging and analysis of environmental materials) instrument, which is unique in the UK and combines environmental scanning electron microscopy, -Raman and -X-ray fluorescence. These techniques have the potential to allow detailed information about the organic composition and structure at the single and sub-particle level. Modelling of adsorbate-organics interactions will be used to produce predictive models for different classes of organic/organometallic contaminants. Critically, the synergy of the lab scale and larger scale experiments, the use of state of the art analytical/imaging techniques and modelling will allow the effectiveness of the destruction process to be deduced, providing a step change in our understanding of this potentially important novel water treatment method.
The student working on this cross-disciplinary project will gain a wide breadth of training in hydrology, organic (geo)chemistry, environmental mineralogy/surface chemistry and analytical (geo)chemistry and would suit a student with a background in any of these fields. He/she will be based in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and will have access to world-class facilities, including the recently refurbished Organic Geochemistry Laboratories and the NERC-funded NIAFEM facility, in the Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science at UoM. Outputs will be captured in a thesis of peer reviewed publications. The student will work closely with the industrial partner in this project, Arvia Technology UK, bringing appropriate research budget enhancements, access to industry size units for the larger scale experiments and exposure to a thriving industrial environment. Arvia Technology Ltd has established research facilities at The Heath Business and Technical Park in Runcorn to commercialise the (patented) process of adsorption coupled with electrochemical regeneration for the destruction of aqueous organics. It has received a multitude of awards for innovation, sustainability and implementation (IChemE, IET, RSC, Innovate 10, Rushlight, 4I) and also featured on the Guardian's Global Cleantech 100 List. The student will act as the liaison between UoM and Arvia and will be responsible for the transfer of all essential academic knowledge acquired during this project into industrially valuable and useful processes/protocols. He/she will also be involved in a range of commercial activities within Arvia, will be required to regularly attend Arvia's technical team meetings and present research updates ideally on a (bi)monthly basis. This will ensure that the student will gain an understanding of the regulatory requirements needed in the water industry, the commercial position and opportunities within the industry and IP awareness.
This project brings together a team of (academic) supervisors with complementary experience in the fields mentioned above and collective experience of wat
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Bart Van Dongen (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Katrina Cullen (Student) |
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NE/R007373/1 | 01/10/2017 | 30/09/2021 | |||
| 1982067 | Studentship | NE/R007373/1 | 01/10/2017 | 30/09/2021 | Katrina Cullen |
| Description | There are differences between flake nyex and granular nyex in both characteristics and how well they adsorb dyes. Environmental parameters such as salinity, temperature and pH of a solution can all affect how much dye can be adsorbed on to nyex in 30 minutes. |
| Exploitation Route | Arvia can use these results to better inform their bench top investigations (by asking what temperature an effluent would need to be treated at) or in designing where in a treatment process the arvia unit may sit (it may be beneficial to use the arvia treatment before a salinity treatment for example). |
| Sectors | Environment |
| Description | Findings are already starting to be applied internally at CASE partner Arvia's labs, by beginning to look at the effect of environmental parameters on other compounds, and considering the temperature of effluents to be treated etc. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
| Sector | Environment,Other |
| Description | School visit (Stockport Grammar) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | A presentation to children aged 13-18 about water challenges as part of the schools 'Cafe Sci' programme. The intended purpose was to engage students on current water challenges (scarcity, pollution, treatment etc.) and give a little bit of insight into my research at the end. Around 13 students attended (voluntary lunchtime event) of various ages. There was some engagement afterwards on twitter from some parents. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |