membrane technology - career opportunities Remote Community Water Supply using Membrane Technology, Aug. 2007 career opportunity with The University of Edinburgh, UK Remote Community Water Supply using Membrane Technology, The University of Edinburgh, UK - Aug. 2007 PhD Scholarship Remote Community Water Supply for Developing Remote Communities using Membrane Technology and Renewable Energy Environmental Engineering Provision of safe drinking water to remote communities and developing countries is a key objective of the UN Millennium Goals. While pathogenic contamination is the primary immediate health concern, those pathogens are relatively straightforward to remove with membrane processes. More challenging to remove are inorganic contaminants such as iron, manganese, fluoride, nitrate, arsenic, and many others as contaminants are small in size and often cause significant ‘fouling'. Both surface and groundwaters commonly contain high levels of such chemical contaminants. This project will identify the operating window of a renewable energy powered membrane system to safely remove such contaminants. Parameters such as the energy source, location, water quality and the environmental circumstances as well as water chemistry will be investigated. Testing will be performed in the laboratory and selected field locations in Scotland and if desired in a developing country possibly in Africa depending on the focus of the project and the specific interests of the candidate. Aims of this project are to: - Determine the operating window of the system as a function of energy quantity and quality - Evaluate the removal of inorganic trace contaminants in the laboratory and a remote site in Scotland - Determine the extent of membrane fouling depending on local conditions and solution chemistry - Integrate the findings of this study with current practices in remote community water supplies and formulate management recommendations to regulators One scholarship in the order of £12,000 per annum plus tuition fees (European citizens only) for a period of three years is available. The project is part funded by the Scottish Drinking Water Regulator and industry interactions as well as field trials will be a prominent activity of this PhD. Research facilities are located in the new Rankine Building with the environmental engineering laboratories being equipped with new and cutting edge analytical facilities and technical support. The University of Edinburgh has an extensive general skills training program to ascertain strong career development opportunities for postgraduate research students. Excellent, self-motivated candidates are sought with a background in either environmental/process/chemical engineering or chemistry/environmental science (or equivalent) who enjoy working in an international and interdisciplinary research team. Interested candidates are encouraged to prepare a brief 2-3 page proposal for their research and sending curriculum vitae (including three academic referees and publication list) as well as academic transcripts and should contact (preferably via email): The University of Edinburgh, Graduate School of Engineering and Electronics - www.ed.ac.uk - William Rankine Building, The King's Buildings, Mayfield Rd, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, UK Professor Andrea Schäfer, Chair of Environmental Engineering, Email: Andrea.Schaefer@ed.ac.uk, Tel. +44(0) 131 650 7209 Mrs Liz Paterson, Postgraduate Administrator, Email: Liz.Paterson@ed.ac.uk, Tel. +44(0) 131 650 5573

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