Future-proofing the environment: evaluating the environmental impacts of next-generation plastics. (TOLHURST_UEA_ARIES27)
Key details
- Application Deadline
- 16 December 2026 23:59 UK Time
- Location
- UEA
- Funding Type
- Competition funded project (Students worldwide)
- Start Date
- 1 October 2027
- Mode of Study
- Full-time or Part-time
- Programme Type
- PhD
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Welcome to Norwich
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Project Description
Primary Supervisor - Dr Trevor Tolhurst
Scientific background
Increasing production, low recycling rates (below 10%), and single-use packaging are driving a global crisis in plastic pollution, with millions of tonnes of plastic accumulating in ecosystems each year. In response, governments and industry are investing heavily in biodegradable alternatives to conventional fossil fuel-derived plastics. However, the perception that these materials are ‘safer’ for the environment means far less attention has been paid to their consequences for organisms and some of the more recent and promising alternative materials have not been tested at all. Emerging evidence suggests that because biodegradable plastics break down more rapidly than traditional plastics, they may be more immediately harmful. Wider assessment of the effects of these alternative materials on environmental health are urgently needed to determine whether they provide genuine ecological benefits over conventional plastics.
Research Methodology
A series of laboratory and in situ field experiments will compare the impacts of biodegradable plastics, conventional plastics and paper-based alternatives on aquatic ecosystems. Experimental manipulations will be conducted at environmentally relevant concentrations in the River Yare (Norfolk) and Breydon Water estuary (Great Yarmouth), representing freshwater and transitional marine environments where plastic litter commonly accumulates. Biodiversity associated with each treatment will be characterised at the beginning and end of the experiment. Ecosystem functioning will be assessed through measurements of sediment oxygen demand and carbon cycling using benthic chambers, and nutrient exchange from core incubations. Findings will provide much-needed evidence on whether recently developed biodegradable plastics offer ecological benefits over conventional plastics and will support policies aimed at reducing the environmental impacts of plastic pollution, including delivery of the UK Marine Strategy and UN Sustainable Development Goal 14.
Training
The candidate will join the Centre for Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation group. The supervisory team will provide comprehensive training in experimental design, laboratory and field skills, ecotoxicology, biogeochemical cycling, taxonomy, bioinformatics, statistical analysis, and science communication. External training courses (e.g. mixed effects modelling) will be available and cohort training is provided by ARIES.
Person specification
We are looking for a candidate who is enthusiastic about laboratory and fieldwork, ecology, toxicology, and ecosystem functioning.
Entry Requirements
At least UK equivalence Bachelors (Honours) 2:1. English Language requirement (Faculty of Science equivalent: IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each category).
Funding
ARIES studentships are subject to UKRI terms and conditions(opens in a new window). Successful candidates who meet UKRI’s eligibility criteria will be awarded a fully-funded studentship, which covers fees, maintenance stipend (£21,805 p.a. for 2026/27) and a research training and support grant (RTSG). A limited number of studentships are available for international applicants, with the difference between 'home' and 'international' fees being waived by the registering university. Please note, however, that ARIES funding does not cover additional costs associated with relocation to, and living in, the UK, such as visa costs or the health surcharge.
ARIES is committed to equality, diversity, widening participation and inclusion(opens in a new window) in all areas of its operation. We encourage applications from all sections of the community regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation and transgender status. Projects have been developed with consideration of a safe, inclusive and appropriate research and fieldwork environment. Academic qualifications are considered alongside non-academic experience, with equal weighting given to experience and potential.
After submitting their application for the relevant ARIES project(s), applicants are expected to complete the ARIES Equality and Diversity Form Applicants - 2027 Entry – Fill in form(opens in a new window).One form is required per application, so applicants applying to more than one project must complete a separate form for each.
Please visit www.aries-dtp.ac.uk(opens in a new window) for further information.
References
Walkinshaw C, Lindeque PK, Thompson R, Tolhurst T, Cole M (2020). Microplastics and seafood: lower trophic organisms at highest risk of contamination. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 190:110066.
Jolly D, O'Gorman E, Green D.S., Cooper R., Bakir A & Tolhurst T (2025). Beyond plastics: occurrence and ecological risks of non-plastic microfibres in aquatic organisms. Microplastics and Nanoplastics.6, 2.
Wright, A.C, Boots B., Ings, T., Green, D.S. (2024) Above- and below-ground field study on the impacts of conventional and alternative mesoplastics on Hordeum vulgare growth and soil invertebrate communities. Chemosphere, 365.
Walkinshaw C., Tolhurst TJ, Lindeque PK, Thompson RC & Cole M (2023). Impact of polyester and cotton microfibers on growth and sublethal biomarkers in juvenile mussels. Microplastics and Nanoplastics. 3, 5.
Kratina P, Watts TJ, Green DS, Kordas RL, O'Gorman EJ (2019). Interactive effects of warming and microplastics on metabolism but not feeding rates of a key freshwater detritivore. Environmental Pollution. 255:113259.