Fully-Funded PhD - Engineering, biological and environmental benefits of visible-light activated antimicrobial photocatalytic coatings for water treatment

This PhD project focuses on developing new antimicrobial coatings for water treatment.

Water scarcity and contamination with pathogens are critical issues, with over 2 billion people lacking access to safe drinking water. In the UK alone, severe droughts could leave one in four households without water by 2030. Traditional water treatment infrastructure is often expensive and difficult to manage, especially in developing countries. An alternative is to use antimicrobial materials that can actively kill microorganisms in water. Photocatalysis, a chemical process initiated by light-activation, offers a sustainable and effective method for water decontamination.

This project will seek to develop and optimise new photocatalytic coatings for water treatment that can remove a wide range of pollutants, including pathogenic microorganisms and toxins. 

The successful candidate will gain significant interdisciplinary skills including microbiology, surface engineering and analytical chemistry, joining our vibrant, growing doctoral community in the new Faculty of Science and Engineering £117M Dalton Building. The project will have access to cutting-edge research facilities and laboratory spaces.

Project aims and objectives

The aim of this project is to assess the role of visible-light activated photocatalysts in sustainable water treatment, particularly in removing microorganisms and contaminants of human and environmental concern.

• Objective 1: Develop and optimise photocatalytic coatings for use in localised water treatment, including delivery systems and physical characterisation of the materials
• Objective 2: Assess the antimicrobial activity of the coatings on multiple species of bacteria, algae, cyanobacteria, and pathogens relevant to water contamination. 
• Objective 3: Extend development, optimisation and testing to non-microbial contaminants, including cyanobacterial-produced toxins, geosmin and pharmaceuticals.
• Objective 4: Determine the mechanisms by which photocatalytic coatings inhibit or kill cells, stress response, bacteriolytic, bacteriostatic or bactericidal, and ROS production.