In partnership with Natural Resources Wales
- Are you passionate about solving complex environmental challenges?
- Interested in creating non-toxic urban spaces that benefit society and nature alike?
In the UK, burning solid fuels (e.g. wood/coal) in the home is a major source of airborne chemical pollutants, including PM2.5 – fine particles in the air that are harmful to health. These airborne pollutants may also influence soil and water pollution via deposition and run-off. However, there are gaps in knowledge about the impact of solid fuel burning on air/soil/water pollution in urban UK homes and how to reduce it.
This PhD project will address these gaps:
1) What do we know about the impact of solid fuel burning on environmental pollution, and how to reduce it? Scoping/systematic reviews of the impact/reach of solid field burning on air/soil/water pollution and effectiveness of interventions to change solid fuel burning behaviour.
2) What are the pathways by which chemical pollutants from solid fuel burning contaminate the environment? Research with households who burn/don’t burn solid fuel including identification of behavioural practices/drivers and chemical characterisation of indoor/outdoor airborne particulate matter, garden soil and water. Chemical fingerprint analysis of emissions linked with solid fuel burning (e.g. PAHs, heavy metals) will be used to infer pollution source.
3) What behaviour change solutions may reduce environmental pollution from solid fuel burning? Co-design/piloting of a behaviour change intervention to reduce/change households’ solid fuel burning, based on the previous results from the PhD. This may include evaluation of intervention acceptability/feasibility, and impact on behaviour and pollutant levels. There might also be a possibility of modelling wider temporal/spatial impacts of burning.
This opportunity includes a three-month secondment with Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru/Natural Resources Wales applying your research in real-world contexts.
This exciting PhD project, part of the NERC-funded ECOSOLUTIONS Doctoral Focal Award, offers the opportunity to help tackle the problem of chemical pollution in urban environments.
For more information on how to apply, please visit the ECOSOLUTIONS website: https://ecosolutions.sites.sheffield.ac.uk/
Project specific enquiries: chantelle.wood@sheffield.ac.uk
Register your interest today on FindAPhD.com