Work description
The work will be distributed into several specific tasks. A part of the work will be done in the partner’s institutes (Strasbourg and Mulhouse, France). Travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by the EUCOR project.
Master thesis nr. 1, (open Autumn 2020), location mainly at KIT/INE, will consist in:
- On-site samplings (Fessenheim site, France) and sample conditioning,
- Accurate MTEs analysis,
- Exhaustive determination of the potential MTE vectors, i.e. the (in)organic NPs and (macro)molecules of natural and anthropogenic (terrestrial and aquatic) origins,
- Elucidation and quantification of physicochemical processes occurring at these solid/liquid interfaces at various scales,
Master thesis nr. 2, (open Autumn 2020) location mainly at IPHC/Uni.Stras., will consist in:
- Laboratory simulation of interactions at the OM-NP-ETM interfaces using OM extracts and silica / iron oxides or synthetic clay nanoparticles;
- Molecular-scale studies to identify the metallo-organic species formed at the interfaces,
- Assess effect of a potential change in water chemistry due to climate change (e.g., acidification, increased concentrations of OM, etc.).
Methods:
- Sample collection, extraction
- Elemental analysis (ICP-OES/ICP-MS, IC, DOC)
- Hyphenated size fractionation methods (LC/OCD, AsFlFFF/UV-Vis/MALLS/ICPMS)
- Solid phase characterisation (XRD, ESEM, TEM)
- Molecular scale characterization (ESI-FTMS)
- Spectroscopic techniques (IRTF-RTA, XPS)
- Ultra-trace analysis (AMS)
