PhD position: Pyrolysis-based Arctic Pollution Exposure Reduction (PAPER)

This is how you can contribute

• Review relevant literature related to the overall goals and execution of PAPER           
• Explore available biomass, biomass sampling, shipping of test material to Switzerland       
• Pyrolysis at pilot scale (max. 1 kg biomass h-1) of test materials for thermochemical pollutant elimination, and/or to produce (steam-activated) biochar specific to key sorbates (priority organic pollutants); Execution of corresponding sorption batch experiments; Sorbent characterization and sorbate analyses      
• Test of promising produced sorbents at different scales both in the lab and at study sites         
• Establish and maintain collaboration with ArcSolution project partners          
• Interpret and present data  in peer reviewed journals, consortium meetings and (inter-)national conferences           

This makes you unique

• MSc in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or Environmental Sciences            
• In-depth knowledge of environmental organic chemistry, biochar and activated carbon            
• Knowledge and laboratory experience in trace analytical chemistry and chemical engineering            
• An independent way of working with cross-team collaboration skills             
• Willingness to travel and reside periodically within the ArcSolution region            
• Knowledge of two official Swiss languages and English                        

In a nutshell

ArcSolution is an EU Horizon Europe funded project that aims to reduce pollution in the Arctic using a comprehensive approach that considers both environmental and human health (https://www.arcsolution.eu). Within the Workpackage 5. "Solutions: Resilience, adaptation, mitigation", the successful candidate will develop, test and implement technical solutions based on pyrolysis and activated biochar application for pollutant elimination from relevant sources or recipient matrices. The PhD student will be employed and mainly work at Agroscope, Zurich, Switzerland, and enrolled with Prof. Roland Kallenborn at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) (Norway) and co-supervised by Nikolas Hagemann (Agroscope).