Innovative Approaches to Evaluating Airborne Metal Particle Exposure and Health Consequences in the UK Using Advanced Mass Spectrometry Techniques

Key words: particles, inhalation, human health, ICP-MS, LC-HRMS, metals, biomarkers

About the project:

Poor air quality and the inhalation of pollutants, including toxic metals, pose significant health risks in the UK. The concentration of ultrafine particles (<2.5 µm) often serves as an air quality indicator, but it does not accurately reflect individual exposure levels.

This collaborative 4-year PhD project between the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) aims to develop and refine methods for analysing and characterising total metals, metal particles, and endogenous biomarkers in exhaled breath condensate (EBC), blood, and urine. Techniques such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) will be employed. The resulting data will help develop processes to better understand personal exposure to ultrafine particulates and its health implications.

Samples will be assessed for total metal and metal particle contents as direct exposure measures, while blood serum and urine will undergo metabolomic analyses to determine health impacts and identify biomarkers of effect. Initial studies will focus on a high-risk group of welders and foundry workers, known for their exposure to fumes and dust, providing an excellent opportunity to develop and validate methods, assess inhalation exposure, and identify biomarkers. These biomarkers could facilitate regular health monitoring for these workers. Subsequently, the study will extend to at-risk public populations.

The successful candidate will develop validated methods for characterising exposures in vulnerable groups or for incident response following inhalation events. Identified biomarkers will enhance the interpretation of human biomonitoring data and contribute to understanding the adverse effects of particle exposure, informing regulatory measures.

Based at the UKHSA Radiation, Chemical, and Environmental Hazards site on the Harwell Science Campus, Oxfordshire, with opportunities at the Health and Safety Executive laboratories in Buxton, Peak District, this project offers extensive experience in mass spectrometry techniques, large data set handling, and metabolomics.

Qualifications:

We invite applications from candidates who hold/or expect to gain a first or upper second-class honours degree (or equivalent), or a Master’s degree from a relevant discipline (such as chemistry, biochemistry, environmental sciences, analytical chemistry, toxicology, or forensic science). Experience of working in an analytical chemistry laboratory or similar is desirable. Knowledge about inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and/or tandem mass spectrometry would be advantageous.

Funding, Applications & Interviews:

This is a 4-year fully funded PhD project that will cover home registration fees, project costs (including attendnace at conferences) and pay the student a stipend of ca. £23k per annum.

For more information or questions please contact [email protected] and [email protected].