Chemical Engineering: Fully Funded EPSRC DTP PHD Scholarship: Microbially-Influenced Changes in Repositories of Nuclear Waste: Biofouling and Biocorrosion of Metal Canisters
With the current oil and gas energy crisis, nuclear energy has resurfaced as one of the most efficient and cleanest alternatives. However, one of the major concerns of this technology is nuclear waste. Safe disposal of radioactive waste is crucial to ensure the safety of future generations and the biosphere. Deep geological repositories (DGRs) are multi-barrier systems to deposit radioactive waste, by encapsulating the waste in metal containers (e.g. copper) surrounded by compacted bentonites and emplace them at 500-1000 m depth. Several studies have evidenced the impact of microbial processes on the corrosion of these metal containers, which could lead to the release of radionuclides to the surrounding environment. This project aims to study the effects of biofilms and biocorrosion on metal canisters, using a combination of potentiometric, spectroscopic (ATR-FTIR, micro-FTIR, ToF-SIMS, depth-profile XPS), microscopic (TEM, SEM-EDX) and microbiological techniques.
This is a fully-funded EPSRC DTP studentship for three years, with project supervisors Dr Jesus J. Ojeda (j.j.ojedaledo@swansea.ac.uk) and Dr Yon Ju-Nam (y.k.ju-nam@swansea.ac.uk) at Swansea University. The project will encompass close collaboration with Professor Mohamed L. Merroun (University of Granada, Spain) and will involve in-kind training and access to specialised imaging and microbiological techniques at this institution.