4 PhD scholarships available in Marine Risk Assessment

6th EU Framework Programme. Marie Curie EST:
RISICO: Risk Assessment of Surfactants in Coastal Environments


Thanks to the European funded Marie Curie Programme, the Procter & Gamble European Technical Centre (P&G) (B) and our 4 excellent European partners – CSIC*1 (E), IRAS*2 (NL), ULB*3 (B), and IAEA*4 (MC) – offer the opportunity to four researchers to build up scientific knowledge in the field of ecological risk assessment in coastal environments. We offer a training perspective at world-class scientific level in multidisciplinary and international teams.

*1 Institute of Marine Sciences in Andalusia
*2 Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences of Utrecht University *3 Plant Bioengineering Dept - Free University of Brussels *4 International Atomic Energy Agency Procter & Gamble European Technical Centre


Your profile and the research training focus
Master in Environmental Chemistry
Distribution of surfactants and their sorption/desorption in marine sediment. Field collection and chemical analyses of sediment cores and assessment of the sorption of contaminants present in the sediment. The training is carried out at IRAS (NL) and P&G (B). The fellow will work in close collaboration with IAEA (MC) and CSIC (E).

Master in Environmental Toxicology
Distribution of surfactants in marine surface microlayer and aerosols and biokinetics/metabolism in representative plankton living in sea surface layer and in representative benthic organism(s). The training is carried out at IAEA (MC) and P&G (B). The fellow will work in close collaboration with ULB (B).

Master in Environmental Toxicology or Life Sciences
Microbial degradation/transformation of surfactants in marine sediment. Development and standardization of ecotoxicity tests with representative benthic organism(s) exposed through contaminated sediment. The training is carried out at CSIC (E) and P&G (B). The fellow will work in close collaboration with IRAS (NL) and IAEA (MC).

Master in Plant Biology
Health status of coastal vegetation in geographies/periods of the year receiving treated and untreated sewage and experimental exposure
(greenhouse) of selected Na-sensitive and -resistant plants to artificial sea sprays spiked with mixtures of the selected xenobiotics. The training is carried out at ULB (B) and P&G (B). The fellow will work in close collaboration with IAEA (MC).

Each training above will form a solid basis for a PhD thesis.

The objective of the RISICO project is to develop analytical methods to predict the exposure to xenobiotic mixtures in sea-sprays and in marine sediments and their effects on coastal ecosystems. A direct business application will be the development of sustainable detergents. The innovative aspects include the development and validation of (1) specific analytical methods targeting surfactants in sea sprays, (2) a non destructive radiotracer approach to characterize kinetics of surfactants biological uptake and subsequent metabolization in target marine organisms, (4) insight into the bioavailaiblity and sorption of organic xenobiotics in marine sediments(5) a microbiofilm in stratified oxic/anoxic sediments to identify recalcitrant metabolites, and (6) new standardized ecotoxicity tests for marine sediments. These aspects will contribute in the development of marine risk assessment guidance (EU TGD, Commission directive 93/67/EEC) for the safe use of surfactants in Europe as requested by the EUWhite Paper (Com(2001) 88 Final).

Job Requirements
We need young talented individuals who have an excellent master degree and high research interest. In addition to technical excellence and a good knowledge of English, we also look for skills such as passion for winning, creativity, innovation, initiative, communication, leadership and the ability to work with others. Participation rules Researchers with a Belgian, Spanish, Dutch or Monegasque nationality can NOT apply for a research vacancy in their own country. The eligible researcher must have less than 4 years of research experience and no PhD degree. The fellowship is tenable for 36 months and will be available as of September 1, 2004. Further details on the specific trainings may be obtained by writing to Dr. Ali Temara at the European Technical Centre of Procter & Gamble, Eurocor, Temselaan 100 in B-1853 Strombeek-Bever, Belgium, or by e-mail: temara.a@pg.com. Application forms will be soon available on www.pgcareers.com.