Asif Qureshi
Associate Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
Email: asif[at]ce.iith.ac.in
Ph: +91 40 2301 6310
Website: https://asifqureshi.wordpress.com
Group Leader: Environmental Systems Groups
The Emerging Contaminants Group (ECG) focuses on industrial micro-pollutants that cause neurological and cardiovascular effects, and endocrine (hormonal) disruption in humans.
Current core strength is the toxic pollutant mercury. India is a major emitter of mercury. A global legally-binding convention (Minamata Convention) to control mercury pollution was agreed in 2013, to which India is now a signatory. ECG’s seven year (2013-2020) goal is evaluate the state of mercury pollution in India, India’s regional and global footprint. We also aim to have at least one successful case study in which we will make help make a tangible impact in the society. Our ambition is to become a well-reputed and respected mercury research group by 2020.
We are also placing ourselves into research on other heavy metals (lead). We also maintain an interest in persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which are regulated under the global Stockholm Convention.
Our approach is interdisciplinary, and draws concepts from environmental chemistry and physics, mathematical modeling, life cycle analysis, civil engineering, chemical engineering, and public health.
Education:
Research Fellow, Environmental Health, Jun 2011 – May 2013
Harvard University, USA.
D.Sc., Environmental Science, Nov 2007 – May 2011
ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
M.A.Sc., Environmental Engineering, Aug 2003 – May 2006
University of British Columbia, Canada.
B.Tech., Civil Engineering, Jul 1999 – May 2003
IIT Kanpur, India.
Employment:
Assistant Professor, June 2013 – Present
IIT Hyderabad, India.
Scientific Associate, Nov 2006 – Nov 2007
ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
Research Associate, Jul 2006 – Oct 2006
University of British Columbia, Canada.
Journals
[11] Schartup, A.T., Qureshi, A., Dassuncao, C., Thackray, C.P., Harding, G., Sunderland, E. (2018) A model for methylmercury uptake and trophic transfer by marine plankton. Environmental Science & Technology, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b03821.
[10] Kakarla, A., Qureshi, A., Shashidhar, T., ,De, S., Singh, S.G., Jana, S. (2017) Source localization via aermod-based simulation under mean squared error criterion: Demonstration using field data. International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IEEE), Volume 2017-July, 1 December 2017, Article # 8128425, Pages 6201-6204. (37th Annual IEEE IGARSS symposium)http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/IGARSS.2017.8128425.
[9] Chakraborty, L.B.*, Qureshi, A., Vadenbo, C., Hellweg, S. (2013) Anthropogenic flows of mercury in India and impacts of emission controls. Environmental Science and Technology. 47(15), 8105- 8113. * = student advisee. Awarded best master’s thesis at the Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich.
[8] Qureshi, A., MacLeod, M., Sunderland, E., Hungerbühler, K. (2012) Exchange of elemental mercury between the oceans and the atmosphere. In: G. Liu, Y. Cai, N.J. O’Driscoll (Eds), Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology of Mercury, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., NJ, USA. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9781118146644.ch12.
[7] Qureshi, A., MacLeod, M., Hungerbühler, K. (2011) Quantifying uncertainties in the global mass balance of mercury. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 25, GB4012, doi: 1029/2011GB004068.
[6] Qureshi, A., O’Driscoll, N.J., MacLeod, M., Neuhold, Y-M., Hungerbühler, K. (2010) Photoreactions of mercury in surface ocean water: gross reaction kinetics and possible pathways. Environmental Science and Technology, 44(2), 644-649.
[5] Qureshi, A., MacLeod, M., Hungerbühler, K. (2009) Modeling aerosol suspension from soils and oceans as sources of micropollutants to air. Chemosphere, 77(4), 495-500.
[4] Qureshi, A., MacLeod, M., Scheringer, M., Hungerbühler, K. (2009) Mercury cycling and species mass balances in four North American lakes. Environmental Pollution, 157(2), 452-462.
[3] Qureshi, A., Lo, K.V., Liao, P.H. (2008) Microwave treatment and struvite recovery potential of dairy manure. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B: Pesticides, Food Contaminants, and Agricultural Waste, 43(4), 350-357.
[2] Qureshi, A., Lo, K.V., Liao, P.H., Mavinic, D.S. (2008) Real-time treatment of dairy manure: implications of oxidation reduction potential regimes to nutrient management strategies. Bioresource Technology, 99(5), 1169-1176.
[1] Qureshi, A., Lo, K.V., Mavinic, D.S., Liao, P.H., Koch, F.A., Kelly, H.A. (2006) Dairy manure treatment, digestion and nutrient recovery as a phosphate fertilizer. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B: Pesticides, Food Contaminants, and Agricultural Waste, 41(7), 1221-1235.
Book Chapter
Qureshi, A., MacLeod, M., Sunderland, E., Hungerbühler, K. (2012) Exchange of elemental mercury between the oceans and the atmosphere. In: G. Liu, Y. Cai, N.J. O’Driscoll (Eds), Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology of Mercury, John Wiley & Sons, , NJ, USA, doi: 10.1002/9781118146644.ch12.
Conference Platform Presentations
[6] Qureshi, A., Harding, G., Sunderland, E. Impacts of ecosystem change on mercury bioaccumulation in a coastal-marine food web. 11th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant, Edinburgh, Scotland, July-August, 2013.
[5] Qureshi, A., MacLeod, M., Hungerbühler, K. A new multimedia global mass balance model for mercury. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Europe, Seville, Spain, May, 2010.
[4] Qureshi, A., O’Driscoll, N.J., MacLeod, M., Neuhold, Y-M., Hungerbühler, K. Photoreactions of mercury in surface ocean water: kinetics and pathways. 9th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant, Guiyang, China, June, 2009.
[3] Qureshi, A., O’Driscoll, N.J., MacLeod, M., Neuhold, Y-M., Hungerbühler, K. Photo-reduction and – oxidation kinetics of mercury in surface ocean water: rate constants and reaction pathways. SETAC North America, Tampa, USA, Nov, 2008.
[2] Qureshi, A., MacLeod, M., Scheringer, M., Hungerbühler, K. Mercury and mercury species mass balances in four North American lakes. SETAC North America, Milwaukee, USA, Nov, 2007.
[1] Qureshi, A., Lo, K.V., Mavinic, D.S., Liao, P.H., Koch, F.A., Kelly, H.A. A study on dairy manure treatment, digestion and phosphorus recovery. Air and Waste Management Association and Water Environment Federation, Joint International Conference, St. Louis, USA, Aug, 2005.
Conference Poster Presentations
[3] Chakraborty, L.B., Qureshi, A., Vadenbo, C., Hellweg, S. (2013) Mercury flows in India and the effectiveness of emission control measures. 11th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant, Edinburgh, Scotland, July-August, 2013.
[2] Qureshi, A., MacLeod, M., Hungerbühler, K. Soil resuspension and marine aerosol suspension as sources of micropollutants to air. SETAC Europe, Seville, Spain, May, 2010.
[1] Qureshi, A., MacLeod, M., Scheringer, M., Hungerbühler, K. Heavy metals in the environment: fate and transport modeling. SETAC Europe, Porto, Portugal, May, 2007.
Grants/Funding:
Current funding:
Department of Science and Technology, India. INSPIRE Faculty Award (2013 – 2018). PI
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, India. Mercury exposure in pregnant women and newborns in South India (2016 – 2019). PI
Mercury monitoring around selected power plants, India. Industry-sponsored (2017 – 2018). PI
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, India. National Carbonaceous Aerosol Program (2016 – 2021). Member as a Field Institution
Past:
Northern Contaminants Program, Canada. As Co-I (PI: Prof. N.J.O’Driscoll, Acadia University) (2011 – 2013). Co-I
Principal Investigator, Mercury pollution in India: regional and global implications. Department of Science & Technology,
Approximately 35,00,000 ($55,000) ’14 – ‘19
Co-investigator, Mercury redox kinetics in the Arctic. Northern Contaminants Program. Approximately $70,000 Aug ’11 – Jul ‘13
Current:
Krushna Vudamala. National Post Doctoral Fellow.
K. L. Subhavana. PhD student.
Supriti Das. PhD student.
Pritanjali Shende. PhD student.
Vineela Kellellu. Junior Research Fellow.
Karthik Kumar C. PhD student.
Keerthana R.T. Junior Research Fellow.
Akila Muthalagu. Junior Research Fellow.
Syed Azharuddin Hashmi. Project Assistant.
Mayuri Bhatia. Postdoctoral Research Associate.
Manasa konda. Research Assistant.
Past:
M. Shalini. M.Tech. student. Jun 2014-Dec 2016
Thesis:
Constraining uncertainties in global mercury cycling
Present affiliation:
Telangana State Irrigation Department
Arpita Roy. M.S. student. Jan 2015-Dec 2016
Thesis:
Daily activity patterns on people in Hyderabad
Present affiliation:
Preparing for NET
Laura Burger Chakraborty, M.S. student, ETH Zürich / India. 2012
Thesis output:
(1) Best Master’s Thesis, Department of Environmental Science, ETH Zürich.
(2) Research publication in Environmental Science & Technology (see news on 08 July 2013), a top journal in the field.
Present affiliations:
(a) Consultant, Solutions For Industrial EcoSystems (SOFIES)
(b) Consultant, University of Lausanne
Divya Kamath. Project Assistant. Jun-Aug 2014
Work output:
(1) Parameterized a first unit-model for mercury cycling in India
Present affiliation:
PhD Student, Michigan Tech.
Ajay Unagar. Summer Intern (from IIT Roorkee) Jun-Jul 2015
Work output:
(1) Analyzed data from Souther Ocean ship cruise and the Antarctica
Present affiliation:
(a) 4th Year B. Tech. at IIT Roorkee.
Divya Kumawat. Summer Intern (from IIT Roorkee), May-jun 2018.
Work output:
(1) Further refinement of a model for mercury cycling in India.
Present affiliation:
Final year B.Tech Student, IIT Roorkee.
