PFAS Quantitation and Biocatalytic Remediation

Project Overview

The Donnelly and Ellis Groups are recruiting a highly motivated PhD student to develop innovative strategies for the quantitation and biocatalytic degradation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in wastewater systems, in collaboration with Charles River Laboratories (CRL), a global leader in environmental and pharmaceutical testing.

PFAS are persistent environmental contaminants that pose significant challenges for remediation due to the strength of the C–F bond and their resistance to conventional treatment processes. This interdisciplinary project will bring together chemistry, environmental science, and microbiology to develop sustainable approaches for PFAS breakdown using engineered or naturally occurring biocatalysts.

The project will focus on combining biocatalysis with continuous flow processing and advanced in situ reaction monitoring techniques, including SHARPER NMR methods and quantitative 19F benchtop NMR, for real-time analysis of PFAS transformations. Development of Flow-SHARPER methodologies within the Continuum Flow Lab will enable enhanced sensitivity, rapid quantitation, and mechanistic insight under continuous processing conditions.

Skills and Training

This fully funded PhD studentship offers the opportunity to work within a dynamic and collaborative research environment, in partnership with CRL and interdisciplinary academic collaborators.

The successful candidate will receive comprehensive training in:

• Biocatalysis and enzyme-driven transformations
• Continuous flow chemistry and process intensification and in situ reaction monitoring
• Environmental and mechanistic studies of contaminant degradation

Research will be based at Heriot-Watt’s Institute of Chemical Sciences, with access to state-of-the-art laboratories, analytical instrumentation, and flow chemistry facilities.

Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Dr Liam Donnelly (l.donnelly@hw.ac.uk) with a CV, a brief statement of research interests, and contact details for two referees.