Materials for Environmental Sustainability – RIC
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Dr. Pradeep K. Varshney
Professor & Dean Research
Qualification : MSc, PhD
Publications: 75
Experience: 25 Years
Areas of interest: Composite Polymer Electrolytes for electrochemical battery application, Energy storage system
Dr. Sangita Banga
Professor &Dean Academics, MRU
Qualification: MSc. PhD
Experience: 20 Years
Areas of Interest: Biofuels from waste cooking oil and non-edible oil, Algal biofuels, Biodiesel purification using organic adsorbents and Nano particles.
Ms. Meena Kapahi
Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, MRU, Faridabad
Email: meenakapahi@mru.edu.in
Qualification: M.Sc. (Env. Sci.), M.Tech. (Env. Sci. & Engg.), NET, Pursuing Ph.D.
Experience: 12.5 years; research: 05 years; Industry: 01 approx.
Area of Interest: Water purification, Mushroom cultivation, Soft Skills
No. of Research Publications: 26
Dr. Arpit Sand
Associate Professor
Qualification: M.Sc., PhD
Publications: 20
Experience: 9 Years
Areas of Interest: Polymer Chemistry
Dr. Vinayak Vandan Pathak
Assistant Professor
Qualification: M.Sc., PhD
Publications: 28
Experience: 4 Years
Areas of Interest: Wastewater Treatment and Bioeenrgy Production -
Vision:
Aim of the cluster is to be a centre for knowledge generation through research in the frontier areas of Material and Environment Sciences. The cluster will establish itself at National and International level, and will publish the research work relevant for societal needs and sustainable development.
Cluster Mission:
- To conduct research in the areas of Material & Environment Sciences for sustainable development
- To develop cost effective and advance material for industrial application,
- To evaluate the problems arising due to environmental pollution
- Monitoring of atmospheric phenomenon and their influence on environmental pollution.
- To train and produce human resources in the relevant areas
- To aim for patents and publications of quality research work in the frontal areas
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- To develop advance functional materials and membranes with desirable properties using concepts of polymer chemistry and nanomaterials.
- Development of treatment wastewater treatment technologies by using naturally available materials.
- Development of cost effective desalination process.
- Development of ion-exchange resin based water treatment process.
- Ultrasound mediated waste water remediation.
- Assessment of potential of Crop residues based bioenergy production in Haryana region.
- Development of third generation biofuel using algal biomass.
- Utilization of waste cooking oil and their application for biodiesel production.
- Identification of new feedstocks for bioenergy production.
- Innovation in electrochemical batteries to improve storage of electric energy.
- GIS-RS based monitoring of air pollution in Delhi NCR.
- To monitor aerosol distribution in lower atmosphere and their seasonal variation.
- To monitor gaseous and particulate pollution in residential, sensitive and industrial area.
- To develop cost effective air pollution treatment system.
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Laboratory & Instrumentation
Materials for Environmental Sustainability Cluster provide opportunity for multidisciplinary research, and are equipped with advance laboratory facilities. Following major & minor instrumentation facilities are available in cluster:
- UV-Visible Spectrophotometer
- Flame Photometer
- Ultra-Sonication unit
- Thermostat Chamber
- BOD Incubator
- Laminar Air Flow
- Autoclave
- Centrifugation Unit
- Phase Contrast Microscope
- Muffle Furnace
- Air quality Monitor
- Potentiometer
- pH and Conductivity meter
- Soxhlet Extraction Unit
- Kjeldahl Assembly
- Water Bath
- Redwood Viscometer
- Flash Point meter
- Electronic balance
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- Bhokiya, AA., Joshi H., Upadhyay SK., Srivastava A., Pathak VV., Pandey VC., Jain D. (2021) Screening and Optimization of Zinc Removal Potential in Pseudomonas aeruginosa-HMR1 and its Plant Growth-Promoting Attributes. Bull Environ ContamToxicol,https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-021-03232-5
- Ahmad S., Chaudhary S., Pathak VV., , Kothari R., Tyagi VV. (2020) Optimization of direct transesterification of Chlorella pyrenoidosacatalyzed by waste egg shell based heterogenousnano – CaO catalyst, Renewable Energy, 160: 86-97,
- Pathak V.V., Kapahi M., Rani R., Tuteja J., Banga S., Pandey V. (2020) Organic Waste for Biofuel Production: Energy Conversion Pathways and Applications. In: Yadav A.N., Rastegari A.A., Yadav N., Gaur R. (eds) Biofuels Production – Sustainability and Advances in Microbial Bioresources. Biofuel and Biorefinery Technologies, vol 11. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-53933-7_13
- Kothari R., Vashishtha A., Singh HM., Pathak VV., Tyagi VV., Yadav BC., Ashok KV., Singh DP. (2020) Assessment of Indian bioenergy policy for sustainable environment and its impact for rural India: Strategic implementation and challenges,Environmental Technology & Innovation,20,101078.
- Malhotra, S., Tang, Y. &Varshney, P.K. Fabrication of highly sensitive non-enzymatic sensor based on Pt/PVF modified Pt electrode for detection of glucose. J IRAN CHEM SOC17, 521–531 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13738-019-01786-0
- Sharma P., Dagar A., Sapna, Vyas A., SandA (2020).Superabsorbent composites (SACs) based on Xanthan Gum -g-poly (Itaconic acid)/Kaolinite, Polymer Bulletin,https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-020-03436-5
- Ahuja D., Varshney K.,Varshney PK (2021)Metal air battery: A sustainable and low cost material for energy storage,, Journal of Physics:Conference Series 1913 , 012065, ISSN 1742-6596 , doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1913/1/012065
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Projects & Competitions
- Projects & Competitions
- Research Publications
- Patents
- Product Development Initiatives
- Funded R&D Projects
- Consultancy
- Training in Advanced Areas
Projects
Projects (Ongoing)
- Heavy Metal Assessment and Remediation, Faridabad
- Waste to bioenergy generation
Agriculture residues such as wheat straw, corn stover, paddy straw etc. are generated in crop field in huge amount. Burning of agricultural waste is being adopted as most common method by the farmers of Punjab and Haryana, which results in to loss of 3.85 million tonnes of organic carbon, 59000 tonnes of nitrogen, 20000 tonnes of phosphorus and 34000 tonnes of potassium. In addition to this, emission from burning of farm waste is also considered as one of the major contributors of air pollution. The extent of pollution generated by burning of farm waste causes considerable loss of human health and results in the disease like asthma, chronic bronchitis and pulmonary disease. Among various crops waste from wheat and rice crops are major contributor in total stubble load.
Utilization of agricultural waste biomass for bioenergy generation is found as most sustainable way of biomass management. Biogenic material obtained from crop residue and livestock manure can be converted in to heat, mechanical energy and electricity using different energy conversion pathways. Researchers in MES cluster are working on the optimization of reaction conditions for enhancement of biogas production from Wheat straw.
- Assessment of Chitraka Pond at Mohna Village, Faridabad, Haryana
Present status of the pond: It has almost dried up due to shrunken and blocked storm water drains diverting water to the pond.
Challenges:
- Increasing scarcity of water in the village
- Receding ground water table
- Blocked storm drain & high rain/runoff water losses
- Unauthorized construction near the pond
- Awareness among the villagers regarding pond and water quality
- Assessment of seasonal variation in air pollution in Delhi NCR
Rapid industrialization and urban sprawl has increased the threat of air pollution in Delhi-NCR. The precise source and chemical composition of aerosols are not well known in India. In MES cluster, researchers are monitoring the seasonal variation of particulate matters and its interaction with the meteorological parameters.
Award in poster Presentation by cluster Student Member
Poster Presentation by cluster student member – Ms. Akanksha Ahuja (B.Tech. CST), former G-STIC 2017 (Brussels, Belgium) winner, was invited with registration fee waived off and presented poster on ‘Give wings to Pink Bins’ in one of the sessions in G-STIC 2018, Brussels, Belgium (November 28-30, 2018). (Authors: Akanksha Ahuja, Meena Kapahi, Prof. (Dr.) B.M. Bahal).
