Pollution from source to cetaceans: PhD opportunity at Bangor University

Marine ecosystems are of immense ecological and economic significance, under increasing threat from poorly understood pharmaceutical pollution. This project will addressing critical knowledge gaps in the persistence, accumulation, and impact of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in marine food chains.

Using extensive datasets from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), chemical data, and a marine mammal tissue bank the project will bridge gaps in understanding of antibiotic pollution in marine ecosystems. The student will use bioinformatics to analyse sequence data for antibiotic degradation pathways, and chemical data from wastewater, environmental and stranding samples. Integrating this data will guide targeted analysis of tissue bank samples, and new stranding, water and sediment samples. Fieldwork will focus on the well-studied Conwy outflow, in proximity to wastewater overflows. The student will use proven methods to assess antibiotics, degradation products and AMR.

Find out more about SuMMers CDT

Lead Supervisor: Eleanor Jameson 
2^nd Supervisor: Mark Fitzsimons 
Associate Partner: Natural Resources Wales