Version 2
Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
PhD Project Template



Use one form per project
Please complete & submit to international@nuigalway.ie as soon as possible, and by 27/11/2012
In your email, begin the subject line with [SWB] (be sure to use square brackets) to ensure that
your email is filed correctly. Emails will be automatically filed
PI name & contact
details:
Prof. Peter Croot
Email: peter.croot@nuigalway.ie
School:
School of Natural Sciences
Has project been agreed
with head (or nominee) of
proposed registration
school?
Research Centre /
group affiliation:
Earth and Ocean Sciences
Research group /
centre website:
http://www.nuigalway.ie/eos
PI website / link to CV:
http://www.nuigalway.ie/eos/staff/academic_staff/croot_p/croot.html
Brief summary of PI research / research group / centre activity (2 or 3 lines max):
If you are already involved in relevant scholarly activities relating to Brazil, please mention them here.
The PI’s research is focused on redox processes affecting natural water chemistry. The main area
of research is on the biogeochemical cycles of trace elements in the ocean. The PI has recently
been involved in setting up links with Latin American scientists, including Brazil, as part of the
international GEOTRACES program and currently has strong collaborations with Peru, Argentina
and Chile.
Title & brief description of PhD project (suitable for publication on web):
Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS: Superoxide and Hydrogen Peroxide) from the
photolysis of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) in Natural Waters
This project will characterize the optical properties of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter
(CDOM) using state of the art absorbance and 3D Excitation Emission Matrix (EEM)
fluorescence techniques from a variety of natural water environments. The main focus of this
work is to identify and quantify the CDOM species responsible for the photo-production of
Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). The principle ROS species, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide,
will be determined using existing flow injection methods utilizing chemiluminescence
Version 2
Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
detection at the pM and nM level. The aim of this project is to improve our understanding of
the chemical kinetics involving ROS and CDOM in natural waters.
Unique selling points of PhD project in NUI Galway:
NUI Galway projects should emphasise features that are not typically available in Brazil – specific equipment,
multi-disciplinarity, aspects of structured programme, links with industry, placements, links with other research
groups etc.
EOS as recently purchased a specialized spectroflorometer, HORIBA AQUALOG, for undertaking CDOM
measurements and this instrument would be the basic tool used in this work. Additionally EOS has 3
chemiluminescence flow injection analysers for determining hydrogen peroxide and superoxide in solution.
Name & contact details for project queries, if different from PI named above:
Please indicate the graduates of which disciplines that should apply:
Chemistry, Geology, Earth Sciences, Ocean Sciences.
Ciência sem Fronteiras / Science Without Borders Priority Area:
Please indicate the specific programme priority area under which the proposed PhD project fits- choose only
one (tick box):
Engineering and other technological areas
Pure and Natural Sciences (e.g. mathematics, physics, chemistry)/Physical Sciences (Mathematics,
X
Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Geosciences)
Health and Biomedical Sciences / Clinical, Pré-clinical and Health Sciences
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Computing
Aerospace
Pharmaceuticals
Sustainable Agricultural Production
Oil, Gas and Coal
Renewable Energy
Minerals, Minerals Technology
Biotechnology
Nanotechnology and New Materials
Technologies for Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Disasters
Bioprospecting and Biodiversity
Marine Sciences
Creative Industry
New technologies in constructive engineering
Please indicate which of the following applies to this project (referring to Science Without Borders
arrangements):
Version 2
Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
Suitable only as a Full PhD (Y/N): _ __Y__
Available to candidates seeking a Sandwich PhD arrangement (Y/N): __N___
Suitable for either/Don’t know: _____