Open PhD position: Impacts of contaminant cocktails originating from plastics in soil ecosystems

    CEME 2021 PhD THESIS: Impacts of contaminant cocktails originating from plastics in soil ecosystems

    Global objective of work

    With a novel methodology based on a back-and-forth collaboration between polymer chemistry and soil ecology, several exposure scenarios of soil organisms to custom-made plastics will be explored in order to decipher their toxicity in different environmental compartments (rhizosphere, microorganisms, mesofauna, plastisphere), and evaluate their impacts on soil functions and on biogeochemical cycles.

    Context

    Plastic pollution might lead to the degradation of soils, with major environmental and economic costs for agriculture. The project will consider the multiple facets of plastic pollution such as contaminant cocktails including additives and non-intentionally added substances NIAS, added alone in mulching or closely entangled with residual organic matter in amendments.

    Detailed presentation

    The PhD student will prepare various well-controlled custom-made microplastics and will fully characterize their chemical composition (polymer, additives and some NIAS). Possible changes undergone by plastics during waste treatment will be studied.
    The physical aspect of plastic particles will be assessed using optical and electron microscopies. The chemical composition of the prepared plastics will be characterized by a combination of state-of-art chemical techniques. These techniques will be used to search for possible plastic changes in the organic amendments, in the bodies and feces of soil organisms of the incubated soil samples.

    Candidate profile and skills

    Chemist with excellent theoretical and practical knowledge in polymer science, analytical chemistry and organic chemistry; with very solid know-how on chemical characterization to be able to work at the interface organic – macromolecular chemistry; fluent in English; highly motivated, pro-active, enthusiastic and dynamic researcher with scientific creativity and with very good communication skills; MSc thesis completed.
    The deadline for applications is January 15th 2022

    Apply to this PhD offer

    General informations

    • Industrial field: Mechanics and Materials
    • Location:Nice and Sophia Antipolis, France
    • Keywords: Polymers, additives, pollution, soils.
    • Cooperation: The thesis is financed by Université Côte d’Azur via ANR.
    • Duration: 3 years
    • Salary: 1700 euros net per month

    Contacts

    • Team: Biobased Polymers and Composites group
    • Supervisors: Prof Alice Mija (Alice.Mija@univ-cotedazur.fr). ; Dr. Patrick Navard (patrick.navard@mines-paristech.fr).

    To apply

    • papers requiered to apply:
    • your most recent CV
    • Detailed, official proof of your grades during your most recent studies(maximum 3)
    • One or more references from professors or heads of training programmes

    Information! Application only on the CEMEF website.
    > back to Open PhD positions