Division of Information Technology, Engineering and the Environment
Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation

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Professor Megharaj Mallavarapu

Associate Professor Megharaj Mallavarapu current research interests include ecological risk assessment of both organic and inorganic contaminants with special interest in contaminated sites containing a mixture of both inorganic and organic contaminants. Megharaj has over 20 years of experience in contaminant microbiology and has isolated numerous microbial organisms for the application in bioremediation technologies.

Education

Doctor of Philosophy (Environmental Pollution/Environmental Microbiology) Nagarjuna University, India 1987
Master of Science (Environmental Biology) Nagarjuna University, India 1981

Professional experience

• 2003 January - present:
  Associate Professor, Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation, University of South Australia.
• 1998 July – January 2003:
  Senior Research Scientist, CSIRO Land and Water, Adelaide Laboratory.
• 1997 May - June 1998:
  Research Fellow, Department of Soil Science, CRC Soil and Land Management,
  University of Adelaide, Australia.
• 1995 January - 1997 May:
  Research Fellow, Microbiology Department, University of Otago, New Zealand.
• 1992 November - 1994 December:
  Research Scientist, Microbiology Division, National Research Centre for Biotechnology, Germany.
• 1989 November - 1992 November:
  Research Scientist (CSIR), Nagarjuna University, India.
• 1988 October - 1989 November:
  Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Liverpool, UK.

Teaching Experience

Lectured to Postgraduate students at Nagarjuna Univiversity, India for 5 years.

Current research interests/areas of specialisation

Current research interests include ecological risk assessment of both organic and inorganic contaminants. Megharaj has particular research interests in the fate and behaviour of both organic and inorganic pollutants in soils, notably in the bioavailability and toxicity of these contaminants in the environment and development of appropriate bioremediation technologies for these pollutants. Megh has over 20 years of experience in contaminant microbological research including:
 

• Bioavailability and ecotoxicity of organic (pesticides, industrial chemicals) and inorganic (heavy metals and metalloids) contaminants.

• Development of sensitive, rapid toxicological methods (microbial) suitable for terrestrial toxicity testing and bioremediation efficacy evaluation.

• Isolation and characterisation of novel microorganisms (bacteria and algae) capable of degrading pollutants.

• Microbial degradation of pesticides, dioxin/dibenzofurans, PCBs,PAHs and petroleum hydrocarbons.

• Microbial transformation of heavy metal(loid)s (Arsenic, Chromium).

• Laboratory treatability studies for remediation of TCE, PCBs and petroleum hydrocarbons in the soil and groundwater.

• Development of cost effective bioremediation technologies (including natural attenuation, biosorption and phytoremediation/phytostabilisation).

• The role of algae (with special emphasis on terrestrial algae) in pollutant degradation.

Awards

• Commonwealth Postdoctoral Fellowship, jointly sponsored by the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the British Council (October 1988 - November 1989)

• Fellow of University, University of Liverpool, UK (1988-89)

• Scientist (Pool Officer) under Scientist Pool Scheme of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, India (1990-1992)

• Senior Research Fellowship by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi (1985-1987)

Membership of Scientific Societies

• American Society for Microbiology

• Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)

• Soil Science Society of America

• Australasian Society for Ecotoxicology

• Phycological Society, India (Life Membership)

• Association of Microbiologists of India (Life Member)

• Society of Pesticide Science, India (Life Member)

 

Publications

 

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