Paul Tasker is an Irish Research Council (IRC) funded researcher based in the Materials and Surface Science Institute (MSSI) in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at University of Limerick. Paul’s research focus for his PhD is adsorption, a chemical phenomenon that allows ions, atoms, or molecules to “stick” onto a solid support from a liquid solution. Paul is hoping to modify a range of biologically derived solid materials to increase and optimise the efficiency of the solids to decontaminate water, he explains:
“If you have some contaminants or pollutants present in your water, for example metals, dyes, or pesticides you want to be able to remove them without removing the natural ions (calcium, magnesium, and sodium), which promote good health. In order to do this, you can use adsorption. I’m currently working with the materials cellulose and chitosan, among others, which are cheap, abundant, and easily modified.”
It is Paul’s hope to take these materials and modify their chemical makeup without impacting their low cost and biodegradability. They would then be combined to create a water purification system.
“My research will look to combine a series of these materials that have been modified and prepared to construct a column with different layers. Each layer will be responsible for removing a specific contaminant.”
Paul’s research aims to improve the lives of people in developing nations who suffer from water scarcity, i.e., water that is available but may be unsafe to consume due to contamination.
“By creating a low-cost way of purifying water I can help enhance the lives of people living in poorer countries where there may not be regulation around water pollution or enforcement of this legislation. This would enhance their quality of life without too much of a financial burden attached.”
In contrast with filtration, which only removes non-dissolved sediment particles, adsorption removes dissolved contaminant materials.
“With filtration, if you have sediment or particles, for example, dirt or sand in your water and you pass it through your filter then it gets removed. However, filtration does not remove anything that is actually dissolved in the water.”
Paul has just embarked on his PhD journey having recently completed his undergraduate degree in pharmaceutical and industrial chemistry at University of Limerick and credits his interest in pursuing a research career to a summer spent researching.
“I was accepted onto the Science and Engineering Summer Bursary Research Programme and was looking into the recycling of metals from electronic waste, under the supervision of Dr Teresa Curtin. There is a very high concentration of quite valuable metals in all kinds of electronics. Up until maybe 20 years ago, there hadn't been much of an interest in recovering these materials. I enjoyed the experience and working with Dr Curtin, which motivated me to apply for IRC funding.”
When not focusing on his PhD Paul gives some of his time to volunteering and outreach programmes, helping to inspire others to pursue a career in science. He has given demonstrations at the BT Young Scientist Exhibition, delivered career talks for transition year students, and tutored with the UL Access Office, something which he really enjoys:
“I like the sense of excitement that you get when dealing with second-level students and young people at Young Scientists. Sometimes they ask you a question that you never considered before and it challenges you to think on the spot, so it can be a learning experience for everyone.”