PhD in Environmental Sciences: Eco-responsible synthesis of advanced (nano)fertilisers

Job title:

PhD in Environmental Sciences: Eco-responsible synthesis of advanced (nano)fertilisers

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Job description

Offer DescriptionOur increasing world population (~ +25% by 2050), in the context of global changes, represents a significant challenge for feeding the population and ensuring food security, all while limiting environmental impacts. Current agricultural practices involve large quantities of agrochemicals (e.g., fertilisers), that are applied and subsequently lost to the environment, resulting in detrimental effects on environmental and human health. Conventional mineral fertilisers (e.g., phosphorous and iron) applied to soils are particularly ineffective, with limited absorption by the plant and the unused fertiliser remaining in the soil or entering surface and ground waters. In the transition toward environmentally sustainable agriculture and improved management of agricultural resources, solutions must therefore be developed to provide nutrients to plants in an efficient manner without risk for environmental or human health.The objective of this PhD thesis is to develop, via an eco-responsible synthesis, advanced (nano)fertilisers that are more efficient and biodegradable, as well as to evaluate their environmental impacts over their entire life-cycle. The mechanisms associated with foliar absorption and the fate of the developed advanced (nano)fertilisers will be studied using a multi-scale and multi-technique methodology. In order to evaluate the benefits and risks of the advanced (nano)fertilisers, a terrestrial mesocosm study will be completed using representative edible plants.The developed biodegradable, advanced (nano)fertilisers will be composed of inorganic nanoparticles (i.e., the nutrient) that are coupled to a bio-polymer to ease manipulation and act as a support. The advanced fertilisers will be synthesized with well-controlled physico-chemical properties (size, surface charge, mineral phase) to obtain a better mechanistic understanding of how these properties can be tuned to target specific plant locations and/or bypass plant defense mechanisms, all while improving nutrient delivery to the plant. In addition, microfluidic chips will be coupled with microscopic and elemental analyses to study the interactions between the advanced (nano)fertilisers and the plant leaf, specifically the role of the stomata in (nano)fertiliser absorption and (nano)fertiliser dissolution in the presence of the biological system.The environmental exposure and biological impacts of the advanced (nano)fertilisers will be studied using terrestrial mesocosms. The absorption and transport of the advanced (nano)fertilisers in the atmosphere-plant-soil system and their environmental impacts will be evaluated in comparison to conventional fertilisers in order to optimise nutrient delivery while minimising risk. The edible plants will be cultivated in agricultural soil and several growth (e.g., shoot height, dry mass) and physiological (e.g., photosynthesis, anti-oxidant enzymatic activities) parameters, as well as the indirect impacts on soil micro-organisms, will be monitored following foliar application of the advanced (nano)fertilisers. The distribution, biotransformation and degradation of the biodegradable advanced (nano)fertilisers will also be determined.RequirementsResearch Field All Education Level Master Degree or equivalentSkills/QualificationsApplicants must be in the process of finishing or already have been awarded a Master’s degree. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in colloidal physico-chemistry and/or ecotoxicology, as well as good prior laboratory experience.Additional InformationAdditional commentsPlanned start date : September 2024Interested candidates should send their CV, motivation letter, copies of academic transcripts and degrees, and at least one recommendation letter to : Jérôme Rose ( ) and Danielle Slomberg ( ).Work Location(s)Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Centre de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de l’Environnement (CEREGE) Country France City Aix-en-Provence Postal Code 13545 GeofieldWhere to apply E-mailslomberg@cerege.frContact CityMARSEILLE WebsiteStreet58 bd Charles Livon Postal Code13284 E-Mailslomberg@cerege.frSTATUS: EXPIRED

Expected salary

Location

Aix-en-Provence

Job date

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 01:52:06 GMT

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