PhD Student Position

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Umeå PhD STUDENT POSITION in Soil Science / Environmental Chemistry A PhD-student position is available immediately within the research field of environmental soil chemistry.The research project "Production of methyl mercury as a consequence of wetland restoration - risks and possible actions" is a collaboration between SLU and Umeå University.The transformation of inorganic mercury to the highly bioavailable and toxic form of methyl mercury has attracted recent attention and concern.The methylation process is microbially mediated and is stimulated under oxygen deficient conditions in flooded soils, wetlands and in lake sediments and as a consequence mercury is accumulated in organisms.The knowledge about factors affecting the methyl mercury production and degradation is still limited.This research project is focused on the role of geochemistry on the methylation process.More specifically, the sulphur and iron chemistry is known to influence the availablitity of inorganic mercury to methylating bacteria.The PhD-work will include sampling of soil, water and sediments.Experimental work in the lab includes various analytical techniques for determination of mercury species in aqueous and solid phases, as well as isotope experiments in order to quantify the rates of methylation and demethylation processes.Spectroscopic determinations of mercury in the solid phase using X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) will also bee included.Education: BSc or MSc in Soil Science, Environmental Chemistry or comparable.Documented experience from scientific work involving analytical chemistry is a merit.More information: Professor Ulf Skyllberg, Department of Forest Ecology and management, SLU, Umeå, Sweden. SLU is an Equal Opportunity Employer.You are welcome to submit your application, labelled with the reference number, ref.nr 996/07 including CV, motivation (½ - 1 page) to why you would like to achieve a PhD degree name, phone number and e-mail of three referees and other documents you like to attach.The application should have arrived at the Registrator, SLU, Box 7070, 750 07 Uppsala not later than April 23, 2007. For information about SLU and Umeå University Campus please see www.slu.se and www.umu.se