Bhabananda BiswasThe University of Newcastle, Australia · Global Centre for Environmental Remediation
Bhabananda Biswas
PhD (Applied Clay Science - Environment)
(i) Leading project relating to modified clays for environmental and agricultural application
(ii) Competitive grant bid
About
58
Publications
52,336
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1,299
Citations
Citations since 2017
Introduction
I am a Humboldt Fellow and I hold a PhD (Applied clay science). My current research areas and interests: (i) green materials for environmental remediation, (ii) clay-microbial interaction for environmental remediation (iii) clay and nanoclay composites, (iv) molecular application for assessing microbial health in soil and water.
Science Communication interest: (i) Contributing peer-review (ii) Editorial/Editorial Assistant role (iii) Science in Public.
Additional affiliations
October 2021 - October 2022
Clay Minerals Society (CMS)
Position
- News Editor
Description
- I will liaise with CMS and the international magazine 'Elements' where the 'Elements' hosts one-page news, content supplied by CMS.
October 2017 - February 2021
Position
- Research Associate
Description
- Modified clays for environmental remediation; HDR student supervision; Competitive grant applications
February 2013 - February 2017
Position
- PhD Student
Description
- Modified clays for environmental (bio)remediation
Education
March 2013 - February 2017
January 2011 - June 2011
October 2010 - January 2011
Publications
Publications (58)
Soils contaminated with a mixture of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pose toxic metal stress to native PAH-degrading microorganisms. Adsorbents such as clay and modified clay minerals can bind the metal and reduce its toxicity to microorganisms. However, in a mixed-contaminated soil, an adsorption process more specific to t...
Abstract
Bioremediation is an effective strategy for cleaning up organic contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Advanced bioremediation implies that biotic agents are more efficient in degrading the contaminants completely. Bioremediation by microbial degradation is often employed and to...
Clays including bentonite hold a great potential in improving the efficacy of organic contaminants degradation by bacteria. However, the mechanisms of interactions involving both biotic (microorganisms) and abiotic (clays) components during bioremediation are largely unknown. Here, we report the interaction of a biosurfactant producing bacterium, P...
In the ecotoxicological assessment of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil, microbial community profile is important aspect due to their involvement in soil functions. However, soil physicochemical properties and the inhabiting plants could dictate the microbial composition. A question remains unanswered is, how an integrated approach may be uti...
Among the wide range of materials used for remediating environmental contaminants, modified and functionalised nanoclays show particular promise as advanced sorbents, improved dispersants, or biodegradation enhancers. However, many chemically modified nanoclay materials are incompatible with living organisms when they are used in natural systems wi...
Iron impurities present in the crystal structure of kaolin minerals or in accessory species are frequently encountered in clay deposits. As knowledge of the location and states of the iron is crucial when modifying the properties of clays by activation, it is important that new deposits are well characterized in terms of the amount and location of...
This focuses the multifunctional and biocompatible Nano Hybrid for sustainable remediation of dyes and heavy metals.
INTRODUCTION In the increasing demand for a holistic approach of environmental remediation, technologies involving multifunctional materials become cost-effective and sustainable. Currently, ultrasmall metal nanoclusters (NCs) with core diameters ranging from 2 to 3 nm are materials of interest in contemporary nanotechnology. Such NCs have intrinsi...
Nutrient pollution of surface water, such as excess phosphate loading on lake surface water, is a significant issue that causes ecological and financial damage. Despite many technologies that can remove available phosphate, such as material-based adsorption of those available phosphate ions, the development of a material that can trap them from the...
Anthropogenic chemical pollution has the potential to pose one of the largest environmental threats to humanity, but global understanding of the issue remains fragmented. This article presents a comprehensive perspective of the threat of chemical pollution to humanity, emphasising male fertility, cognitive health and food security. There are seriou...
Chromium (Cr) pollution is a significant environmental concern with remediation challenge. Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is more toxic than trivalent chromium (Cr(III)) due to its mutagenicity and oncogenicity. In this investigation, a multi-functional material, copper nanoclusters (CuNCs)-halloysite nanotubes (HNT) composite (CuNCs@HNT), has been s...
This chapter discusses trends of soil pollution in Asia and the Pacific, hereinafter referred to as the Asia-Pacific region. The region covers 42 countries and territories that can be divided into four sub-regions.
PFAS from an Australian Perspective
The presence of heavy metal(loid)s in soils from anthropogenic sources such as activities related to fossil fuel processing area could pose serious threat to the ecosystem and human health. However, risk factors depend on the source, distribution and human interaction with these contaminants and therefore case specific study is needed. In this stud...
In situ synthesis of magnetite nanoparticles on the surfaces of Halloysite nanotubes and characterisation of the synthesised composite.
We synthesised halloysite supported copper nanoclusters and applied the composite in dye degradation.
Supported metal nanoclusters (NCs) are an ideal catalytic system from their ultra-small size (<2 nm), reactivity and confinement on support materials. Whether synthesis of such composite is feasible using copper (Cu) as catalyst on nontoxic and inexpensive support material but without using any toxic reducing agent is yet to be explored. Here, synt...
Prolonged exposure to inorganic arsenic (As) via drinking water is a major concern as it poses significant human health risks. Removal of As is crucial but requires effective and environment-friendly clean-up technology to avoid any additional risk to the environment. In this study, we developed Australian smectite (smec)-supported nano zero-valent...
The co-occurrence of a wide range of hydrophobic and hydrophilic contaminants with contrasting physicochemical properties in wastewaters makes practical remediation a challenge. Applications of ion exchangers such as clays are an environmentally friendly option in a cleanup strategy. However, clays often require chemical functionalization to adsorb...
An expert workshop focusing on per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) was held in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia in September 2019 following the 8th International Contaminated Site Remediation Conference - CleanUp 2019. The workshop was organized by the Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination and Remediation of the Environment (CRC...
Clays and surfactant‐modified clays (organoclays) are becoming popular as pollutant sorbents due to their high reactivity and low‐cost availability. However, the lack of field testing and data on ecotoxicity limits their application. Considering such aspects, this study assessed the impact of clay amendments to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH...
Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are highly stable aluminosilicate with hollow tubular structure. It features a unique architectural effect from both interior and exterior surface. These special characteristics make HNT an interesting nano-object in many areas such as a vehicle for drug delivery or as a template for chemical reactions. In this work, HNT...
Soil fertility and its productivity are the two pillars for maintaining agricultural output and it is a measure of soil performance. Growing concerns about climate change have recently focused on the fate of high-performance soils. Soil biological health is an important aspect of agricultural productivity and a global concern due to its vulnerabili...
This cover image can be cited as: Bhabananda Biswas, Ravi Naidu et al., 2019. Inside Cover Image. Chem Soc Rev. 48: 3678-3678. Doi: 10.1039/C9CS90062D.
This cover image is linked to the feature article: https://doi.org/10.1039/C8CS01019F.
Original article:
"Biocompatible functionalisation of nanoclays for improved environmental remediation" by B...
Understanding the structure-property relationships of novel materials is pivotal for the advances in science and technology. Thiolate ligand protected ultra-small gold nanoparticles (AuNPs; diameter below 3 nm) constitute an emerging class of nanomaterials with molecular like properties that make them distinct from their larger counterparts. Here w...
Keeping the sources of pollution such as chromium (Cr) under a safe limit is a daunting challenge due to the negative impact of heavy metal bioaccumulation in vegetation and the concomitant human health exposure. We took a closer look at Sonchus asper by cultivating in the green house. It resulted in 80% germination when cultivated over nine differ...
Heavy metal(loid)s and organic contaminants are two major groups of pollutants in soils. The fate and exposure of such pollutants in soil depends on their chemical properties, speciation, and soil properties. Soil properties and processes that control the toxicological aspects of pollutants include temperature, moisture, organic matter, mineral fra...
(50 days' free (expire 21 October 2018) publisher's format article via: https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1XfGqAOM9lV2o)
Soil contamination with total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) is widespread throughout the globe due to the massive production of TPH anthropogenically and its occurrence in the soil. TPH is toxic to beneficial soil organisms and huma...
The present study focuses on the isolation of three phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), PSB1, PSB2 and PSB3 from the gut of earthworm Metaphire posthuma. The three stains were identified as Bacillus megaterium (MF 589715), Staphylococcus haemolyticus (MF 589716) and Bacillus licheniformis (MF 589720) through 16 S rRNA gene sequencing and biochem...
A surface-tailored organoclay (palmitic acid-tailored Arquad®-modified bentonite, ABP) was prepared for the selective adsorption of cadmium in the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminants in a long-term contaminated soil. The efficiency of the organoclay (ABP) and the effect of its parent clays were assessed concerning the mic...
Environmental conditions like temperature and moisture could affect the carbon protection capacity of various clay types in soils. Using dominantly kaolinitic-illitic, smectitic and allophanic soils, we conducted systematic incubation experiments over 42 days at different temperatures (4, 22 and 37 °C) and moisture contents (30, 60 and 90% of water...
Knowledge on the fate and transport of heavy metals is essential for predicting the environmental impact of metal contamination on agricultural soils. This chapter presents an overview of various factors that are involved in controlling the retention and mobility of heavy metals in soils with a special reference to soil mineralogy. The bioavailabil...
Bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated soils requires a higher microbial viability and an increased PAH bioavailability. The clay/modified clay-modulated bacterial degradation could deliver a more efficient removal of PAHs in soils depending on the bioavailability of the compounds. In this study, we modified clay miner...
Clay minerals can support bacterial proliferation, induce the formation of clay-bacterial aggregates, and finally a clay-based biofilm. However, how these abiotic and biotic entities interact in a microhabitat is not fully understood. Visualization of the clay-bacterial micro-aggregate under scanning electron microscope (SEM) and profiling the asso...
Clay-bacterial interaction can significantly influence the biodegradation of organic contaminants in the environment. A moderate heat treatment of palygorskite could alter the physicochemical properties of the clay mineral and thus support the growth and function of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading bacteria. By using 14C-labelled phe...
Adsorption has been the most common technology used for water and wastewater treatment for a number of reasons including simplicity, flexibility in design, high efficiency and cost effectiveness. Although it has been a proven technology for removal of contaminants including heavy metals, it has a major limitation to its application, which is the co...
Bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is extremely challenging when they coexist with heavy metals. This constrain has led to adsorption-based techniques that help immobilize the metals and reduce toxicity. However, the adsorbents can also non-selectively bind the organic compounds, which reduces their bioavailability. In this s...
Unlike smectite, the surface characteristics of palygorskite remain underexplored for its potential application in environmental remediation. In this study, palygorskite from Western Australia was activated through thermal (300 °C for 4 h), acid (4 M HCl for 2 h at 70 °C) and acid-thermal (acid treatment followed by heating at 300 °C for 4 h) treat...
Thermal activation of palygorskite is considered as a simple and cost-effective method for modifying its structural and surface properties, which can be congenial for the adsorptive removal of environmental contaminants. However, for a more efficient removal of organic contaminants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), clay-microbial synergy...
Under the intensive agricultural system, direct application of animal slurries to soils can provide a sustainable disposal of these wastes by inducing positive changes in soil quality and fertility. However, how animal wastes quantitatively affect the key nutrients (C, N, P and S) transforming soil enzymes is not clearly known. A greenhouse spinach...
In a mixed contaminated site where bacteria cannot perform degradation of an organic contaminant to its fullest extent due to the toxic effect of heavy metals, a modified clay mineral might be applied in order to reduce the heavy metal toxicity through adsorption. To test this hypothesis, an investigation was conducted in a mixed contaminated syste...
INTRODUCTION
Contaminants, whether having acute or chronic toxicity, are of concern given their potential
adverse impact on environmental quality and public health. Cost-effective remediation is,
often sought for maximising removal of contaminants at minimal cost. Bioremediation is
considered as more cost effective method compared to those involvin...
Over 70 strains of Rhodopirellula spp. were isolated from European Seas (1)
and characterized with a multilocus sequence analysis combined with DNADNA
hybridization experiments (2). These studies demonstrated the
presence of several Rhodopirellula species with R. baltica (operational
taxonomic unit A (OTU A)) occurring in the Eastern North Sea and...
Questions
Questions (2)
Hi there,
This Bacteria is EPS-producing and already clumpy. My interest is to get bacterial cells but not the EPS/biofilm made by these cells. Apart from ion resin protocol, is there any useful method I can exercise? Thanks for your suggestion!
Hi,
This is a bi-exponential or double-first-order in parallel
(DFOP) model: (C = C0(ge−k1t + [1 − g]e−k2t))
where C is the concentration at time t, C0 is the initial
concentration at time 0, k1 values are degradation rate constants at compartment 1 (rapid phase) and k2 is for compartment 2 (slow phase), g is
the fraction of C0 applied to compartment 1.
Often the value should come k1>k2, which means rate is higher in rapid phase.I only saw one article who obtained k2>k1. I am also getting k2>k1, actually means show degradation has higher rate than rapid degradation. On the other hand, I am getting g value 60% which means ~60% of initial concentration is being degraded at compartment 1 i.e. in rapid phase. Is this a contradictory? Could anyone please share your experience and expertise here? it was a biodegradation of PAH in soil and this model is fitting with very good-fitting than single first-order, except this confusing explanation. Thank you
Projects
Projects (2)
* The submission portal of Environ Sci Pollut Res listed "SI: Euroclay2019" under the additional information.
Direct link for submission: https://www.editorialmanager.com/espr/default.aspx
Key dates:
Submission open: July 2019
Submission close: 15th November 2019
Special issue publish: March 2020*
* However, the accepted article will be published online immediately
We look forward to receiving manuscripts on clay and modified clay!
Co-guest editors: Bhabananda BISWAS, Jérôme LABILLE, Benedicte PRELOT
Description:
Call for papers:
Clay is a major reactive component of soil and surface water, where it plays an important role in determining the fate of contaminants, such as trace metals and organic pollutants. As a result of the ability of these minerals to adsorb a wide variety of these substances, both the lamellar and porous structures of natural and modified clay varieties (e.g. organically treated, acid activated, pillared, nanocomposites, layered double hydroxides, among others), have long been of interest to understand their diffusion or for remediation purposes. However, several research aspects remain of particular importance, in particular, the synthesis and characterization of new clay materials, the physicochemical behavior of pollutant adsorption in natural environments and the biocompatibility and reusability of the clays/modified clays. This special issue aims to highlight state-of-the-art analytical, experimental and field studies revolving around the search to find the most effective unmodified and modified clay minerals for remediating metal, organic or mixed pollutants and their transport in both Earth surface environments. Apart from these original research articles, critical reviews, mini-reviews and perspective on this field are expected from the interested authors. The ESPR’s standard editorial and review policy is applicable for all these types of articles.
We aim to develop clay products that can remove emerging pollutants from environments (e.g., water and soil). The specific focus will be the mode of action in the removal of pollutant and modus operandi in natural interference.