Plastic pollution has been widely reported since the 1970s and nowadays it is an important environmental, societal and economic problem. The goal of this PhD project is to better understand the environmental impact of nanoplastics (NPs), and to investigate their potential effect on wastewater treatments. Small microplastics (MPs) and NPs can interact with abiotic components (such as light and oxidants) in natural waters; these interactions could disrupt natural processes, contribute to degrade plastic debris and release degradation products in aqueous phase. This project will study these interactions under laboratory conditions to simulate natural environments. The project will focus also on the release of chemicals from plastic particles during wastewater treatment. Interactions between organic pollutants and NPs will be evaluated, in the framework of a study on the potential effect of MPs and NPs on the efficiency of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs). AOPs are aimed at the degradation of organic contaminants that are recalcitrant to traditional treatment processes. The rationale here is that the oxidising conditions found in AOPs could modify plastic particles, affecting their degradation and the associated release of chemicals. On the other hand, interaction between plastics and AOP oxidants might scavenge the latter and affect (e.g., inhibit) the way contaminants are degraded.This PhD project will help to elucidate the potential effect of MPs and NPs pollution.

The candidate should be fluent in English and have communication, organization, and interpersonal skills. Applicants should have a background in environmental science and/or analytical chemistry. The candidate should have basic knowledge on kinetic competition methods and kinetic simulations, on polymers, radical chemistry, environmental degradation, mass spectrometry and spectroscopic techniques.

The project will be carried out at the Department of Chemistry of UNITO (which is one of the Department of Excellence 2023-2027 selected by MUR), in the Chemistry Energy and Environment (CEA) research group. CEA group has a long history in studying processes and mechanisms that define the chemistry of surface waters, and the mechanisms involved in the advanced oxidation processes (AOP). The Department of Chemistry and the CEA group have a wide range of instrumentation for simulating AOP and environmental-like conditions (reactors, lamps, etc…), and for the analysis of liquid and particle phase. The research environment is dynamic and stimulating, suitable for carrying out this PhD project.