Dr Narottam Saha

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

CMLR

+61 7 3346 4414

n.saha@uq.edu.au

Trace elements geochemistry

Eco-engineering of in-site red mud into functional soils for sustainable rehabilitation of red mud domain

Dr Narottam Saha is a biogeochemist. His primary research interest is in understanding the biogeochemistry of trace elements and their cycling in the environment, with projects addressing key research questions related to ecological engineering of red mud into functional soil for sustainable rehabilitation of mined land. He is currently involved in wide range of research activities:

Physicochemical speciation and organic-inorganic complexation of metal(loid)s and rare earth elements (REE) to understand their fate and transport in the continuum of contaminated soil/tailings-water-vegetation, which is critical for understanding risks of mine wastes (e.g., tailings, wastewater) and designing effective intervention for alleviating the risks.
Investigation of sensitive shifts in the relative abundance of metal stable isotopes tracing sources and elucidating processes of their migration pathways from mine tailing and soil to plants to natural waterways and eventually into the oceans.
Bio-imaging to understand compartmentalization of metal(loid)s and REEs in plant tissues/organs, their uptake mechanism and translocation pathways.
Metal(loid) contamination in food chain and aquatic ecosystems, and assessment of associated human and ecological risks.
Understanding the dynamics of trace metal geochemistry in coral skeleton and proxy based reconstruction to infer long-term anthropogenic forcing on coral reefs.

Biography

Dr Narottam Saha is specialised in the area of environmental analytical chemistry and geochemistry, with Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Applied Chemistry and Chemical Technology, a second Masters Degree (Distinction) in Environmental Sciences ( University of East Anglia, UEA, UK), and PhD in geochemistry (The University of Queensland). In his Masters study, Saha received a Commonwealth scholarship, one of the most prestigious international scholarship schemes, for Master Degree in Environmental Sciences, with special emphasis on Clumped Isotope geochemistry and climate science.

In 2014, Saha received Australia’s federal government scholarship (IPRS) for undertaking his PhD degree. Saha’s research achievements were well recognised with awards of Stanley Gray Fellowship from Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST, UK) for coral reef research and National Science and Information & Communication Technology (NSICT) Fellowship (2010) from Government of Bangladesh for heavy metal pollution research.

His multidisciplinary research experiences include biogeochemistry of heavy metals, assessment of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks for the population exposed to heavy metals, clumped isotopes geochemistry in recovering palaeo-climate history and developing trace element proxies in coral carbonate skeleton to trace historical gradients of inshore coastal water quality. His PhD research highlights the potential of self-referencing rare earth elements over traditional trace elemental proxies for reconstructing marine water quality, degradation of which is considered as one of the major threats in declining the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) coral community. He has been the first to have discovered a noble V/Ca proxy, which is decoupled from other commonly used runoff proxies, for monitoring historical catchment clearing and firing in coastal areas. His discovery has direct relevance to environmental protection for reefs in the GBR through promoting better land management with improved water quality.

Industry

The current research projects Saha engaged with are in collaboration with Rio Tinto Ltd, focusing on developing new technologies to rehabilitate bauxite residues dams.

Collaborations

Dr Saha has academic collaboration with other departments in UQ including School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences. He also has international collaboration with University of East Anglia (UK), Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Rajshahi University (Bangladesh), Jahangirnagar University (Bangladesh), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (Iran), and Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz (Iran).

Publications

Book Chapter (1)

Journal Articles (45)

Thesis (1)

Book Chapter

Saha, Narottam, Zaman, M. R. and Rahman, M. Safiur (2013). Heavy metals in fish, fruits and vegetables from Rajshahi, Bangladesh: a statistical approach. Nature Science. (pp. 237-253) Hauppauge, NY USA: Nova Science Publishers.

Journal Articles

Kumar, Sazal, Saha, Narottam, Mohana, Anika Amir, Hasan, Md. Sabbir, Rahman, M. Safiur, Elmes, Michele and MacFarlane, Geoff R. (2024). Atmospheric particulate matter and associated trace elements pollution in Bangladesh: a comparative study with global megacities. Water, Air and Soil Pollution, 235 (4) 222, 1-29. doi: 10.1007/s11270-024-07021-8

Islam, Md. Nazrul, Ganguli, Sumon, Mamun Huda, M., Saha, Narottam, Hoque, Md. Ashraful, Peng, Cheng and Ng, Jack C. (2024). Uncovering the impact of mega-scale shipbreaking yards on soil and crop quality in Bangladesh: a spatiotemporal dynamics and associated health risks of metal/loid contamination. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 464 132931, 132931. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132931

Khan, Rahat, Anik, Amit Hasan, Hossain, Shabiha, Phoungthong, Khamphe, Islam, Abu Reza Md. Towfiqul, Saha, Narottam, Idris, Abubakr M., Khan, Md. Harunor Rashid, Aldawood, Saad and Alam, Mahbub (2023). Receptor model-based source tracing and risk assessment of elements in sediment of a transboundary Himalayan River. Chemosphere, 339 139733, 139733. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139733

Wu, Songlin, Liu, Yunjia, Southam, Gordon, Nguyen, Tuan A.H., Konhauser, Kurt O., You, Fang, Bougoure, Jeremy J., Paterson, David, Chan, Ting-Shan, Lu, Ying-Rui, Haw, Shu-Chih, Yi, Qing, Li, Zhen, Robertson, Lachlan M., Hall, Merinda, Saha, Narottam, Ok, Yong Sik and Huang, Longbin (2023). Ecological engineering of iron ore tailings into useable soils for sustainable rehabilitation. iScience, 26 (7) 107102, 1-26. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107102

Li, Zhen, Wu, Songlin, Liu, Yunjia, Yi, Qing, Hall, Merinda, Saha, Narottam, Wang, Junjian, Huang, Yuanfang and Huang, Longbin (2023). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi regulate plant mineral nutrient uptake and partitioning in iron ore tailings undergoing eco-engineered pedogenesis. Pedosphere. doi: 10.1016/j.pedsph.2023.04.004

Khan, Rahat, Hossain, Shabiha, Anik, Amit Hasan, Phoungthong, Khamphe, Islam, Abu Reza Md. Towfiqul, Saha, Narottam, Idris, Abubakr M. and Alam, Mahbub (2023). Indexical and statistical approaches to investigate the integrated origins of elements in the sediment of Teesta River, Bangladesh: sediment quality and ecological risk assessment. Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts, 25 (4), 832-849. doi: 10.1039/d2em00475e

Cabral-Pinto, Marina Ms, Saha, Narottam, Ordens, C. M., Pitta-Grós, Denise, Carlos, Gelson, Dinis, Pedro, Marques, Rosa, Prudêncio, Isabel, Rocha, Fernando and Ferreira da Silva, Eduardo A (2023). Integrated geochemical and mineralogical investigation of soil from the volcanic Fogo Island (Cape Verde): implications for ecological and probabilistic human health risks. Exposure and Health, 15 (1), 1-17. doi: 10.1007/s12403-022-00472-6

Yi, Qing, Wu, Songlin, Liu, Yunjia, Chan, Ting-Shan, Lu, Ying-Rui, Saha, Narottam, Southam, Gordon and Huang, Longbin (2023). Mineral weathering of iron ore tailings primed by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and elemental sulfur under contrasting pH conditions. Science of the Total Environment, 856 (Pt 1) 159078, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159078

Islam, Md. Nazrul, Ganguli, Sumon, Saha, Narottam, Khatun, Feroza, Karim, Rezaul, Tanvir, E.M., Howlader, Sabbir, Siddique, Md. Abu Bakar, Peng, Cheng and Ng, Jack C. (2022). Effects of shipwrecks on spatiotemporal dynamics of metal/loids in sediments and seafood safety in the Bay of Bengal. Environmental Pollution, 315 120452, 1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120452

Rahman, M. Safiur, Akther, Sharmin, Ahmed, A. S. Shafiuddin, Saha, Narottam, Rahman, Lamisa S., Ahmed, Md. Kawser, Arai, Takaomi and Idris, Abubakr M. (2022). Distribution and source apportionment of toxic and trace elements in some benthic and pelagic coastal fish species in Karnaphuli River Estuary, Bangladesh: risk to human health. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 183 114044, 114044. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114044

Islam, Md. Nazrul, Ganguli, Sumon, Tanvir, E. M., Rifat, Md. Akter Hosen, Saha, Narottam, Peng, Cheng and Ng, Jack C. (2022). Human exposure assessment of mixed metal/loids at and near mega-scale open beaching shipwrecking activities in Bangladesh. Exposure and Health, 15 (1), 1-16. doi: 10.1007/s12403-022-00477-1

Nguyen, Tuan A. H., Guo, Xingyun, You, Fang, Saha, Narottam, Wu, Songlin, Scheuermann, Alexander, Ren, Chengyao and Huang, Longbin (2022). Co-solidification of bauxite residue and coal ash into indurated monolith via ambient geopolymerisation for in situ environmental application. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 422 126925, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126925

Li, Zhen, Wu, Songlin, Liu, Yunjia, Yi, Qing, You, Fang, Ma, Yuanying, Thomsen, Lars, Chan, Ting-Shan, Lu, Ying-Rui, Hall, Merinda, Saha, Narottam, Huang, Yuanfang and Huang, Longbin (2022). Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis enhances water stable aggregate formation and organic matter stabilization in Fe ore tailings. Geoderma, 406 115528, 115528. doi: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115528

Hossain, Shabiha, Anik, Amit Hasan, Khan, Rahat, Ahmed, Farah Tasneem, Siddique, Md. Abu Bakar, Khan, Abdul Hadi Al Nafi, Saha, Narottam, Idris, Abubakr M. and Alam, Mahbub (2022). Public health vulnerability due to the exposure of dissolved metal(oid)s in tap water from a mega city (Dhaka, Bangladesh): source and quality appraisals. Exposure and Health, 14 (3), 713-732. doi: 10.1007/s12403-021-00446-0

Rahman, M. Safiur, Saha, Narottam, Kumar, Sazal, Khan, M. Dulal Hossain, Islam, Abu Reza Md. Towfiqul and Khan, M. Nazrul Islam (2022). Coupling of redundancy analysis with geochemistry and mineralogy to assess the behavior of dust arsenic as a base of risk estimation in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Chemosphere, 287 (Pt 1) 132048, 132048. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132048

Rahman, M. Safiur, Saha, Narottam, Ahmed, A.S. Shafiuddin, Babu, S.M. Omar Faruque, Islam, Abu Reza Md Towfiqul, Begum, Bilkis A., Jolly, Yeasmin N., Akhter, Shrin and Choudhury, Tasrina R. (2021). Depth-related dynamics of physicochemical characteristics and heavy metal accumulation in mangrove sediment and plant: Acanthus ilicifolius as a potential phytoextractor. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 173 (Pt B) 113160, 113160. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113160

Wu, Songlin, You, Fang, Boughton, Berin, Liu, Yunjia, Nguyen, Tuan A. H., Wykes, Jeremy, Southam, Gordon, Robertson, Lachlan M., Chan, Ting-Shan, Lu, Ying-Rui, Lutz, Adrian, Yu, Dingyi, Yi, Qing, Saha, Narottam and Huang, Longbin (2021). Chemodiversity of Dissolved Organic Matter and Its Molecular Changes Driven by Rhizosphere Activities in Fe Ore Tailings Undergoing Eco-Engineered Pedogenesis. Environmental Science & Technology, 55 (19) acs.est.1c04527, 13045-13060. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.1c04527

Saha, Narottam, Webb, Gregory E., Zhao, Jian-Xin, Lewis, Stephen E., Duc Nguyen, Ai and Feng, Yuexing (2021). Spatiotemporal variation of rare earth elements from river to reef continuum aids monitoring of terrigenous sources in the Great Barrier Reef. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 299, 85-112. doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2021.02.014

Rahman, M. Safiur, Kumar, Sazal, Nasiruddin, Md and Saha, Narottam (2021). Deciphering the origin of Cu, Pb and Zn contamination in school dust and soil of Dhaka, a megacity in Bangladesh. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28 (30), 40808-40823. doi: 10.1007/s11356-021-13565-7

Rahman, M. Safiur, Bhuiyan, Sadman S., Ahmed, Zia, Saha, Narottam and Begum, Bilkis A. (2021). Characterization and source apportionment of elemental species in PM2.5 with especial emphasis on seasonal variation in the capital city “Dhaka”, Bangladesh. Urban Climate, 36 100804, 100804. doi: 10.1016/j.uclim.2021.100804

Wu, Songlin, Liu, Yunjia, Southam, Gordon, Robertson, Lachlan M., Wykes, Jeremy, Yi, Qing, Hall, Merinda, Li, Zhen, Sun, Qiang, Saha, Narottam, Chan, Ting-Shan, Lu, Ying-Rui and Huang, Longbin (2021). Rhizosphere drives biotite-like mineral weathering and secondary Fe–Si mineral formation in Fe Ore tailings. ACS Earth and Space Chemistry, 5 (3) acsearthspacechem.0c00331, 618-631. doi: 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.0c00331

Yi, Qing, Wu, Songlin, Southam, Gordon, Robertson, Lachlan, You, Fang, Liu, Yunjia, Wang, Sicheng, Saha, Narottam, Webb, Richard, Wykes, Jeremy, Chan, Ting-Shan, Lu, Ying-Rui and Huang, Longbin (2021). Acidophilic iron- and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, drives alkaline pH neutralization and mineral weathering in Fe ore tailings. Environmental Science and Technology, 55 (12), 8020-8034. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.1c00848

Saha, Narottam and Rahman, M. Safiur (2020). Groundwater hydrogeochemistry and probabilistic health risk assessment through exposure to arsenic-contaminated groundwater of Meghna floodplain, central-east Bangladesh. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 206 111349, 111349. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111349

Sohrabi, Nassim, Kalantari, Nasrollah, Amiri, Vahab, Saha, Narottam, Berndtsson, Ronny, Bhattacharya, Prosun and Ahmad, Arslan (2020). A probabilistic-deterministic analysis of human health risk related to the exposure to potentially toxic elements in groundwater of Urmia coastal aquifer (NW of Iran) with a special focus on arsenic speciation and temporal variation. Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment, 35 (7), 1509-1528. doi: 10.1007/s00477-020-01934-6

Saha, Narottam, Bodrud-Doza, Md., Islam, A. R. M. Towfiqul, Begum, Bilkis A. and Rahman, M. Safiur (2020). Hydrogeochemical evolution of shallow and deeper aquifers in central Bangladesh: arsenic mobilization process and health risk implications from the potable use of groundwater. Environmental Earth Sciences, 79 (20) 477. doi: 10.1007/s12665-020-09228-4

Saha, Narottam, Webb, Gregory E., Christy, Andrew G. and Zhao, Jian-xin (2019). Vanadium in the massive coral Porites: a potential proxy for historical wood clearing and burning. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 527 115793, 115793. doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2019.115793

Safabakhsh, Tahereh, Daraei, Hasti, Saha, Narottam and Khodakarim, Soheila (2019). Degradation of Bisphenol A from aqueous solutions using Fe3O4 as a persulfate activator. Desalination and Water Treatment, 166, 115-121. doi: 10.5004/dwt.2019.24608

Saha, Narottam, Webb, Gregory E., Zhao, Jian-Xin, Nguyen, Ai Duc, Lewis, Stephen E. and Lough, Janice M. (2019). Coral-based high-resolution rare earth element proxy for terrestrial sediment discharge affecting coastal seawater quality, Great Barrier Reef. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 254, 173-191. doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2019.04.004

Saha, Narottam and Rahman, M. Safiur (2018). Multivariate statistical analysis of metal contamination in surface water around Dhaka export processing industrial zone, Bangladesh. Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring and Management, 10, 206-211. doi: 10.1016/j.enmm.2018.07.007

Saha, Narottam, Webb, Gregory E., Zhao, Jian-Xin, Leonard, Nicole D. and Nguyen, Ai Duc (2018). Influence of marine biochemical cycles on seasonal variation of Ba/Ca in the near-shore coral Cyphastrea, Rat Island, southern Great Barrier Reef. Chemical Geology, 499, 71-83. doi: 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2018.09.005

Saha, Narottam, Rodriguez-Ramirez, Alberto, Nguyen, Ai Duc, Clark, Tara R., Zhao, Jian-xin and Webb, Gregory E. (2018). Seasonal to decadal scale influence of environmental drivers on Ba/Ca and Y/Ca in coral aragonite from the southern Great Barrier Reef. Science of the Total Environment, 639, 1099-1109. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.156

Fakhri, Yadolah, Saha, Narottam, Sheikhmohammadi, Amir, Rasouli, Milad, Avazpour, Moayed, Rahimizadeh, Aziz, Riahi, Seyed-Mohammad, Ghaderpoori, Mansour, Keramati, Hassan, Moradi, Bigard, Amanidaz, Nazak, Baninameh, Zahra and Khaneghah, Amin Mousavi (2018). Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks of metal(oid)s in tap water from Ilam city, Iran. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 118, 204-211. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2018.04.039

Fakhri, Yadolah, Saha, Narottam, Miri, Ali, Rahimizadeh, Aziz, Roomiani, Laleh, Ghaderpoori, Mansour, Taghavi, Mahmoud, Keramati, Hassan, Bahmani, Zohreh, Moradi, Bigard and Amanidaz, Nazak (2018). Metal concentrations in fillet and gill of parrotfish (Scarus ghobban) from the Persian Gulf and implications for human health. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 118, 348-354. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2018.05.041

Safiur, Rahman M., Saha, Narottam, Islam, A. R. M. Towfiqul, Shen, Shuanghe and Bodrud-Doza, Md. (2017). Evaluation of Water Quality for Sustainable Agriculture in Bangladesh. Water Air And Soil Pollution, 228 (10) 385, 385-400. doi: 10.1007/s11270-017-3543-x

Saha, Narottam, Rahman, M. Safiur, Ahmed, Mohammad Boshir, Zhou, John L., Ngo, Huu Hao and Guo, Wenshan (2017). Industrial metal pollution in water and probabilistic assessment of human health risk. Journal of Environmental Management, 185, 70-78. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.10.023

Saha, Narottam, Mollah, M. Z. I., Alam, M. F. and Rahman, M. Safiur (2016). Seasonal investigation of heavy metals in marine fishes captured from the Bay of Bengal and the implications for human health risk assessment. Food Control, 70, 110-118. doi: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2016.05.040

Saha, Narottam, Webb, Gregory E. and Zhao, Jian-Xin (2016). Coral skeletal geochemistry as a monitor of inshore water quality. Science of the Total Environment, 566-567, 652-684. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.05.066

Bodrud-Doza, Md., Islam, A.R.M. Towfiqul, Ahmed, Fahad, Das, Samiran, Saha, Narottam and Rahman, M. Safiur (2016). Characterization of groundwater quality using water evaluation indices, multivariate statistics and geostatistics in central Bangladesh. Water Science, 30 (1), 19-40. doi: 10.1016/j.wsj.2016.05.001

Saha, Narottam, Rahman, M.Safiur, Jolly, Yeasmin Nahar, Rahman, Atiqur, Sattar, M.Abdus and Hai, M.Abdul (2015). Spatial distribution and contamination assessment of six heavy metals in soils and their transfer into mature tobacco plants in Kushtia District, Bangladesh. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 23 (4), 3414-3426. doi: 10.1007/s11356-015-5575-3

Saha, Narottam, Salam, Sayed MohiuddinAbdus, Rakib-uz-Zaman, Md. and Molla, Md. MahtabAli (2015). Surface and groundwater quality assessment based on multivariate statistical techniques in the vicinity of Mohanpur, Bangladesh. International Journal of Environmental Health Engineering, 4 (1), 18. doi: 10.4103/2277-9183.157717

Rahman, M. Safiur, Saha, Narottam, Molla, A. Hossain and Al-Reza, Sharif M. (2014). Assessment of anthropogenic influence on heavy metals contamination in the aquatic ecosystem components: water, sediment, and fish. Soil & Sediment Contamination, 23 (4), 353-373. doi: 10.1080/15320383.2014.829025

Rahman, M. Safiur, Saha, Narottam and Molla, A. Hossain (2014). Potential ecological risk assessment of heavy metal contamination in sediment and water body around Dhaka export processing zone, Bangladesh. Environmental Earth Sciences, 71 (5), 2293-2308. doi: 10.1007/s12665-013-2631-5

Saha, Narottam and Zaman, M. R. (2013). Evaluation of possible health risks of heavy metals by consumption of foodstuffs available in the central market of Rajshahi City, Bangladesh. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 185 (5), 3867-3878. doi: 10.1007/s10661-012-2835-2

Rahman, M. Safiur, Molla, A. Hossain, Saha, Narottam and Rahman, Atiqur (2012). Study on heavy metals levels and its risk assessment in some edible fishes from Bangshi River, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Food Chemistry, 134 (4), 1847-1854. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.03.099

Saha, Narottam and Zaman, M. R. (2011). Concentration of selected toxic metals in groundwater and some cereals grown in Shibganj area of Chapai Nawabganj, Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Current Science, 101 (3), 427-431.

Thesis

Saha, Narottam (2018). Tracking inshore water quality using coral-based trace elements geochemistry from the Great Barrier Reef. PhD Thesis, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2018.373