Engineering: Fully Funded M2A MSc by Research Scholarship: Treatment of Emerging Contaminants in Wastewater by Advanced Oxidation Processes
Start date: October 2022
Sponsoring company: Welsh Water
Background:
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water is the statutory water and sewerage undertaker that supplies over three million people in Wales and some adjoining parts of England. We are owned by Glas Cymru, a single purpose, not-for-shareholder company. We provide essential public services to our customers by supplying their drinking water and then carrying away and dealing with their wastewater in a sustainable manner, one which protects our environment.
The presence of several chemicals in water poses a serious threat to the aquatic environment due to their toxic effects. Therefore, the removal of these compounds from wastewater should be evaluated and optimised to ensure a sustainable environment and protection of human health. Although wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been an essential component for the protection of the environment, the growing use and introduction of new chemicals in the society meant that conventional WWTPs are becoming unable to remove these chemicals. As part of the Chemical Investigation Programme 3 (CIP3) in the UK, three chemicals have been particularly identified as requiring monitoring due to their environmental risk. These chemicals are fluoranthene, TBT – tributyltin, and DEHP – di(2- ethylhexyl) phthalate (FTD). Although these three chemicals are currently monitored under CIP3, Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) may be imposed for them in the future. Thus, evaluation of treatment technologies that could enable the removal of FTD in a cost-effective manner is extremely important.
Focus of the Research Project:
This project will focus on advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) based on ozone and granular activated carbon to remove FTD. The aims of the project are:
· Develop an overview of the research that has been carried out to date on FTD.
· Benchtop test of multiple ozone-based AOPs/GAC to investigate the removal/destruction rates taking into account contact time, ozone dose, and different types of radical promotors.
· Tests to be carried out on standard solution and on spiked final effluent from two different wastewater treatment plants (activated sludge plant and a biofilter).
· An assessment of cost benefit analysis and direction for future research into testing and scaling up the solution.
Location
All work will be carried out at Swansea University. However, this project will involve some site visits to wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) to understand how conventional wastewater treatment is carried out. The project will also involve sample collection from two WWTPs and possible visits to the Welsh Water labs.