Application Deadline: 31 January 2026
Details
Nanoplastics (NPs), defined as plastic particles smaller than 1 micrometre, are an emerging class of pollutant in freshwater systems. These particles are found in many consumer and industrial products and are also generated through the breakdown of larger plastics. NPs have been increasingly detected in river sediments, water columns, and organisms. However, despite their widespread presence, their environmental fate and transformation remain poorly understood. Their small size and high surface area mean that they interact in complex ways with surrounding materials, water chemistry, and pollutants, making them behave differently from both traditional contaminants and larger microplastics.
This PhD project will investigate how nanoplastics transform and behave in UK river systems. It will focus on how NPs acquire an “eco-corona”, which is a dynamic coating of biomolecules, minerals, and pollutants that forms on their surface in natural environments. The eco-corona can alter the mobility, persistence, and biological interactions of nanoplastics, making it a critical factor in understanding their environmental impact.
The research will combine environmental science and materials chemistry to address the following questions:
– How do river conditions, including pH, ionic strength and sediment composition, affect the formation and composition of the eco-corona?
– How do surface changes influence nanoplastic aggregation, mobility, and environmental stability?
– How do sediment transport and hydrological processes control nanoplastic redistribution and exposure risks?
The student will synthesise model nanoplastics using reproducible laboratory-scale methods. These will be prepared using plastic processing, weathering, and milling equipment available in the Henry Royce Institute at Manchester. Laboratory experiments will simulate key UK river conditions, manipulating factors such as turbulence, ionic strength, and the presence of pollutants including heavy metals and organic matter from wastewater. This work will be complemented by field studies in contrasting UK rivers, where the project will benefit from collaboration with Professor Jamie Woodward, an expert in river sediment systems and plastic pollution.The nanoplastics and their transformations will be analysed using a suite of advanced characterisation methods, including dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and asymmetric flow field flow fractionation (AF4). The McDonald group brings strong experience in nanoparticle and plastics analysis, and the AF4 system used in this project is one of the most comprehensive in the UK.
This project will provide some of the first systematic data on the environmental behaviour of nanoplastics under representative freshwater conditions. It will improve our understanding of how nanoplastics are transported and transformed, inform environmental risk assessments, and support efforts to manage pollution more effectively.
Before you apply: We strongly recommend that you contact the supervisor(s) for this project before you apply.
How to apply: To be considered for this project you’ll need complete a formal application through our online application portal. If you already have an applicant account this link will directly open an application for FSE Bicentenary PhD. If you don’t already have an applicant account, please follow the instructions here.
When applying, you’ll need to specify the full name of this project, the name of your proposed supervisor/s, details of your previous study, and names and contact details of two referees. You also need to provide a Personal Statement describing the motivation to apply to the project and your CV. Your application cannot be processed without all of the required documents, and we cannot accept responsibility for late or missed deadlines where applications are incomplete.
Equality, diversity and inclusion: Equality, diversity and inclusion are fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and are at the heart of all of our activities. We know that diversity strengthens our research community, leading to enhanced research creativity, productivity and quality, and societal and economic impact. We actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds and from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status.
We also support applications from those returning from a career break or other roles. We consider offering flexible study arrangements (including part-time: 50%, 60% or 80%, depending on the project/funder).
Eligibility: Applicants are expected to hold (or be about to obtain) a minimum upper second-class undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent) in environmental science, chemistry, materials science, or a closely related subject area. Experience with environmental monitoring, analytical techniques (such as spectroscopy or microscopy), or laboratory-based pollutant analysis is desirable. A strong interest in interdisciplinary research at the interface of environmental chemistry and materials characterisation is essential.
FSE_Bicentenary
Funding Notes
Funding for this project covers tuition fees, UKRI minimum annual stipend (currently £20,780/annum) and up to a £5k/annum research training support grant for the full duration of the 4-year programme.
