Overview
The PhD candidate will study the environmental fate of manufactured and natural carbon-based nanoparticles in soils and waters.
Nanotechnology has enormous technological and economic potential. To take full economic and societal advantage of these opportunities, it is crucial to understand and effectively manage potential environmental risks posed by manufactured nanoparticles (MNP). Any misconception on environmental risks may seriously hamper application of nanotechnology. Due to the specific properties of MNP, it is expected that existing models and concepts that describe and predict environmental risks of ‘normal' chemicals do not apply to MNP. Analytical methods that determine MNP in relevant environmental matrices are currently lacking, therefor development and application of these methods are essential.
It is anticipated that carbon-based MNP, including fullerenes and nanotubes will become widely distributed in the environment in the next decades. These MNP can be toxic to organisms. They have an effect on the dynamics of pollutants in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and it can be assumed that many other processes in soils and waters will be affected too. However, the fate of carbon-based MNP in soils is almost unknown. We do not know the adsorption of theses components to soils and their controlling factors and we do not have any knowledge about the stability of these MNP against microbial decay and their effect on the stabilization of soil organic matter (SOM) itself.
Tasks
■Develop analytical methods for the determination of human-made as well as natural carbon-based nanoparticles
■Assist in baseline field survey on the occurrence of carbon-based nanoparticles in the environment using the analytical techniques developed
■Experimentally study the sorption of carbon-based nanoparticles to different soil types and/or important soil minerals
■Experimentally study the microbial degradation of human-made and natural nanoparticles in soil environments and the incorporation of degradation products into different fractions of soil organic matter
■Elucidate the effects of carbon-based nanoparticles on the stability of soil organic matter against microbial decay
Requirements
The successful candidate has:
■an MSc in environmental chemistry, analytical chemistry, soil chemistry, geo-ecology or related subjects;
■experience in or affinity with research in environmental analytical chemistry and soil chemistry;
■experience in (scientific) teamwork and proven communication skills;
■proven writing ability in English, as demonstrated in an MSc thesis, a presentation at a scientific meeting or published papers;
■relevant technical skills.
Further information
More information can be obtained from Prof. Karsten Kalbitz, +31 20 525 7457, K.Kalbitz@uva.nl or Prof. Pim de Voogt, +31 20 525 6565, w.p.devoogt@uva.nl.
Appointment
The appointment will be on a temporary basis for a maximum period of four years (18 months plus a further 30 months after a positive evaluation) and should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). An educational plan will be drafted that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. PhD students are also expected to assist in teaching undergraduates. The salary is in accordance with the university regulations for academic personnel (Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities) and will range from €2,042 (first year) up to a maximum of €2,612 (last year) gross per month (scale P). The annual salary will be increased with 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
Job application
Applications including a detailed CV, a motivation letter, and the email addresses of two references from which information can be obtained in a later stage should be sent before 31 October 2010 to: Universiteit van Amsterdam, Faculty of Science - dept. PZ, attn: Drs. S.H.M. Jongerius, Postbus 94216, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Please mark 'strictly confidential' and quote the vacancy number in the upper left-hand corner of the envelope. Applications can also be emailed to application-science@uva.nl. Please quote the vacancy number in the subject field.
Please kindly mention Scholarization.blogspot.com when applying for this scholarship
The PhD candidate will study the environmental fate of manufactured and natural carbon-based nanoparticles in soils and waters.
Nanotechnology has enormous technological and economic potential. To take full economic and societal advantage of these opportunities, it is crucial to understand and effectively manage potential environmental risks posed by manufactured nanoparticles (MNP). Any misconception on environmental risks may seriously hamper application of nanotechnology. Due to the specific properties of MNP, it is expected that existing models and concepts that describe and predict environmental risks of ‘normal' chemicals do not apply to MNP. Analytical methods that determine MNP in relevant environmental matrices are currently lacking, therefor development and application of these methods are essential.
It is anticipated that carbon-based MNP, including fullerenes and nanotubes will become widely distributed in the environment in the next decades. These MNP can be toxic to organisms. They have an effect on the dynamics of pollutants in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and it can be assumed that many other processes in soils and waters will be affected too. However, the fate of carbon-based MNP in soils is almost unknown. We do not know the adsorption of theses components to soils and their controlling factors and we do not have any knowledge about the stability of these MNP against microbial decay and their effect on the stabilization of soil organic matter (SOM) itself.
Tasks
■Develop analytical methods for the determination of human-made as well as natural carbon-based nanoparticles
■Assist in baseline field survey on the occurrence of carbon-based nanoparticles in the environment using the analytical techniques developed
■Experimentally study the sorption of carbon-based nanoparticles to different soil types and/or important soil minerals
■Experimentally study the microbial degradation of human-made and natural nanoparticles in soil environments and the incorporation of degradation products into different fractions of soil organic matter
■Elucidate the effects of carbon-based nanoparticles on the stability of soil organic matter against microbial decay
Requirements
The successful candidate has:
■an MSc in environmental chemistry, analytical chemistry, soil chemistry, geo-ecology or related subjects;
■experience in or affinity with research in environmental analytical chemistry and soil chemistry;
■experience in (scientific) teamwork and proven communication skills;
■proven writing ability in English, as demonstrated in an MSc thesis, a presentation at a scientific meeting or published papers;
■relevant technical skills.
Further information
More information can be obtained from Prof. Karsten Kalbitz, +31 20 525 7457, K.Kalbitz@uva.nl or Prof. Pim de Voogt, +31 20 525 6565, w.p.devoogt@uva.nl.
Appointment
The appointment will be on a temporary basis for a maximum period of four years (18 months plus a further 30 months after a positive evaluation) and should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). An educational plan will be drafted that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. PhD students are also expected to assist in teaching undergraduates. The salary is in accordance with the university regulations for academic personnel (Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities) and will range from €2,042 (first year) up to a maximum of €2,612 (last year) gross per month (scale P). The annual salary will be increased with 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
Job application
Applications including a detailed CV, a motivation letter, and the email addresses of two references from which information can be obtained in a later stage should be sent before 31 October 2010 to: Universiteit van Amsterdam, Faculty of Science - dept. PZ, attn: Drs. S.H.M. Jongerius, Postbus 94216, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Please mark 'strictly confidential' and quote the vacancy number in the upper left-hand corner of the envelope. Applications can also be emailed to application-science@uva.nl. Please quote the vacancy number in the subject field.
Please kindly mention Scholarization.blogspot.com when applying for this scholarship
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