ENWAT Project
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Publication date: Oct 5, 2023
Position-ID: | 1339 |
Faculty/ Facility: | Civil- and Environmental Engineering |
Institute/ Facility: | Civil- and Environmental Engineering : ISWA – Institute of Sanitary Engineering, Water Quality and Solid Waste Management |
Research Association: | Environment Water (ENWAT) |
Teaching Obligation: | No |
Application deadline: | 11/05/2023 |
Anticipated Start Date: | 10/01/2024 |
About Us
The international Doctoral Program “Environment Water” (ENWAT) of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Stuttgart, Germany, in collaboration with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) opens a call for max. 2 PhD positions for research in Environment Water. Each project involves high-quality research and state-of-the-art techniques and is supervised by excellent researchers. We are looking for highly motivated and talented students with a passion for science. Candidates must demonstrate an excellent performance in their previous academic education.
Advisor: Prof. Dr. Sara Kleindienst, Dr. Katharine Thompson
Research group / department: Department of Environmental Microbiology, Institute for Sanitary Engineering, Water Quality and Solid Waste Management (ISWA)
Keywords: microorganisms, biofilms, microbial community structure, microcosms, dissolved organic carbon, denitrification, nitrification, microbial activities
Introduction / Background:
Municipal wastewater treatment plants in Germany treat upwards of 9 billion m3 of wastewater annually [1] and up to 90% of the original organic waste is removed during the secondary treatment process [2, 3]. Secondary treatment can occur in many ways; the conventional process, however, occurs under fully aerated, oxic conditions (activated sludge treatment) where natural microbial communities break down organic carbon and excess nitrogen species [2, 3]. One method of aerated secondary treatment involves the use of rotating disk reactors (RDRs) where microbial biofilms form on a polymer that rotates through the wastewater, providing oxygen and time for the microbial communities to degrade organics and nutrients [4]. While this method has been shown to be very efficient, these systems are limited in size and cannot process the volume of waste often received at a treatment plant [5]. An alternative and more widely used method involves multiple aeration tanks where oxygen is pumped through the wastewater to facilitate the microbial growth [2]. These tanks, however, do not encourage biofilm formation due to the vigorous mixing. In specifically designed systems, the addition of biofilm formation in aeration tanks through the Integrated Fixed Film Activated Sludge System (IFAS) or Submerged Attached Growth Reactor (SAGR) has been shown to enhance organic carbon removal and increase microbial resistance to pollutants [6-9]. The exact role that biofilm formation plays in the enhanced removal of organic carbon and nitrogen species, however, remains unconstrained. Thus, it is imperative to investigate the specific role that biofilm formation plays in wastewater treatment and how current or new systems could be implemented to enhance wastewater treatment through the addition of biofilms.
References:
Li X
1. RDC, Statistisches Bundesamt: Public waste water treatment plants and annual quantity of waste water. 2019, Federal Statistical Office and Statistical Offices of the Federal States.
2. Parr, J., M. Smith, and R. Shaw, Wastewater treatment options. Water and Environmental Health at London and Loughborough (WELL). 1999: Loughborough University.
3. EPA, US Environmental Protection Agency. 2004.
4. Antonie, R.L., D.L. Kluge, and J.H. Mielke, Evaluation of a rotating disk wastewater treatment plant. Journal (Water Pollution Control Federation), 1974: p. 498-511.
5. Waqas, S., et al., A Review of Rotating Biological Contactors for Wastewater Treatment. Water, 2023. 15(10): p. 1913.
6. Kwon, S.-D., et al., Bacterial community composition and diversity of a full-scale integrated fixed-film activated sludge system as investigated by pyrosequencing. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology, 2010. 20(12): p. 1717-1723.
7. Zahari, N., et al. Biological performance of integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS) process. in IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. 2019. IOP Publishing.
8. Li, B.-B., et al., Contrasting distribution of antibiotic resistance genes and microbial communities in suspended activated sludge versus attached biofilms in an integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS) system. Science of the Total Environment, 2020. 742: p. 140481.
9. Al-dhawi, B.N.S., et al., Treatment of synthetic wastewater by using submerged attached growth media in continuous activated sludge reactor system. International Journal of Sustainable Building Technology and Urban Development, 2022. 13(1): p. 2-10.
Your Tasks
Research goals
- To compare the active microbial community that form the biofilms on the RDRs to the microbial community that thrives in the aeration tanks.
- To compare the efficiency of the carbon and nitrogen removal in the RDRs and aeration tanks and relate these processes back to the active microbial community.
- To elucidate the role of biofilm formation in the efficiency of carbon and nitrogen removal during the secondary phase of wastewater treatment.
- To perform laboratory microcosm experiments where biofilm formation is stimulated and apply the findings, in collaboration with the engineering department, at the WWTP at our institute.
Methods to be used
- 16S rRNA (gene) amplicon sequencing
- Quantification of C and N (e.g., HPLC, MS)
- DNA- and RNA-based qPCR for the 16S rRNA gene/transcript and genes/transcripts involved in key microbial C- and N-cycles
- Metagenomics and metatranscriptomics
- Statistical analysis of the obtained data sets
- Test current methods of biofilm formation in the WWTP
Your Profile
Prerequisites:
- Strong knowledge of environmental microbiology
- Experience with molecular biological techniques and data
- Independent researcher with the ability to work well in a team
- Motivated with excellent communication skills
- Very good in English and with a computer
Further Prerequisites:
- Resume/CV showing the applicant’s background, professional skills, a list of publications and oral and poster presentations as well as additional achievements (scholarships, awards etc.)
- M.Sc., Dipl.-Ing. or equivalent degree in Civil Engineering, Water Resources Management, Environmental Engineering or related sciences
- B.Sc. in Civil Engineering, Water Resources Management, Environmental Engineering or related sciences
Copies of Certificates and Transcripts, including all undergraduate level certificates and university degrees. All documents, which are not in English or in German, must be accompanied by copies of a legally certified English translation (for the application we will accept copies; but please be aware, that originals or legally certified copies will be needed for the final phase. In case any differences between the copies and the originals show up, the application will be dismissed.)
Please make sure, that the copies of the transcripts show not only the grades but also explain the home grades’ system (please add copy of the description of grade scale).
- At the time of application, generally no more than 6 years should have passed since the last degree was gained.
- Only international (non-German) applicants can be accepted. At the time of application the candidate must not have been resident in Germany for more than the last 15 months.
- Unless native speaker: proficiency in English (e.g. TOEFL, IELTS, etc.), or proof that M.Sc. and B.Sc. programs were held in English.
- 2 Reference letters from university professors from the applicants home university, issued during the last 2 years.
- Motivation letter describing the applicant’s work experience and research goals (1 page)
Our Benefits
Research Environment
The newly established Department of Environmental Microbiology at the Institute for Sanitary Engineering, Water Quality and Solid Waste Management (ISWA) at the University of Stuttgart consists of an interdisciplinary, international, and dynamic team of environmental microbiologists and microbial ecologists. The research group focusses on fundamental research with links to applied areas and studies topics related to microbial pollutant degradation. More information can be found on our webpage: https://www.iswa.uni-stuttgart.de/institute/em/. The PhD candidate will get the opportunity to be creative and innovative, and to work on a challenging and interdisciplinary topic.
Employment and compensation information
Maximal Funding Period or Duration of Employment: 48 months
Type of Funding: Scholarship
Compensation: 1200 € per month
Percentage of weekly working hours (usually 39.5h = 100%):100%
Employment at the cooperation partner:
Location: Stuttgart, Campus Vaihingen
If Location other than Stuttgart or additional location(s): Büsnau
Contact Details
Contact person: Gabriele Hartmann
Mail: gabriele.hartmann@f02.uni-stuttgart.de
Phone: +49 711 685 66585
Website: https://www.enwat.uni-stuttgart.de/
At the University of Stuttgart, we actively promote diversity among our employees. We have set ourselves the goal of recruiting more female scientists and employing more people with an international background, as well as people with disabilities. We are therefore particularly pleased to receive applications from such people. Regardless, we welcome any good application.
Women who apply will be given preferential consideration in areas in which they are underrepresented, provided they have the same aptitude, qualifications and professional performance. Severely disabled applicants with equal qualifications will be given priority.
As a certified family-friendly university, we support the compatibility of work and family, and of professional and private life in general, through various flexible modules. We have an employee health management system that has won several awards and offer our employees a wide range of continuing education programs. We are consistantly improving our accessibility. Our Welcome Center helps international scientists get started in Stuttgart. We support partners of new professors and managers with a dual-career program.
Information in accordance with Article 13 DS-GVO on the processing of applicant data can be found at https://careers.uni-stuttgart.de/content/privacy-policy/?locale=en_US