Chemical Engineering: Fully Funded PhD Scholarship: Novel Heterogeneous Catalytic Process for Net-Zero Water Industry

In the UK, industries such as pharmaceuticals, food processing, and agriculture generate significant amounts of organic wastewater. Annually, the UK produces 2.4 billion cubic meters of wastewater, with about 50-70% being organic. Environmental regulations, including the Water Resources Act 1991, the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and the Water Industry Act 1991, mandate that wastewater must be treated before being discharged into the environment. Thus, these industries require effective wastewater treatment solutions to mitigate environmental impacts and comply with regulations. However, conventional treatment technologies face limitations related to high energy consumption and inefficiencies in removing toxic non-biodegradable organics.

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are also energy-intensive. To reduce emissions while maintaining the benefits of AOPs, this project explores catalytic means of organic wastewater treatment. Heterogeneous catalysis, an emerging technology, offers the potential to enhance treatment efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and minimize sludge production. This technology uses solid catalysts such as titanium dioxide, activated carbon, and zeolite-supported materials. To accelerate chemical reactions that break down complex organic contaminants more effectively than traditional methods, offering effective treatment to degrade a wide range of organic contaminants. This aligns with the Net-Zero Water Industry's goal of minimizing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Funding Details

Funding Comment

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend at UKRI rate (currently £19,237 for 2024/25).

There is a further £1,000 available for other expenses such as conferences and fieldwork.

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