DESCRIPTION :

Dr. Nilotpala Pradhan is a committed researcher with a keen interest in area of gold nanoparticle based optical sensors for detection of water contaminants; mineral bio processing; and algal biofuel with CO2 sequestration. She is involved in project writing, project execution, partnering with industrial sector in project mode and student mentorship under PhD programme of institute. She is recipient of prestigious “National Geosciences Award-2012” awarded by Ministry of Mines; Government of India for her contribution is area of ‘Mineral Processing”. Her publications in high impact SCI journals have established the high science work. To her credit she has about one patent and 66 SCI publications. She has jointly edited one book (Springer) and written about 7 book chapters. Her publications have received about 2700 citations with h-index of 28 and i10-index of 48 as per Google Scholar website. Her research has attracted good number of qualified PhD students (CSIR-NET/ DBT-NET /DST-Inspire/ CSIR-SRF etc) to support her scientific endeavors. Seven students have already completed their PhD while three are continuing under her guidance. She has been working on projects of national importance identified by the Task force of planning commissions. Other than these she has  received and worked on Grant in Aid projects from Government agency  with her initiative as project leader and co-project leader. She had been involved in 13 different R&D projects funded by different funding agency and industry and presently working on two ongoing projects. Presently she has received prestigious UK Collaborative project from DST-UKIERI (British Council) and working on “Functionalized Gold nanoparticle based sensor development for detection of heavy metals in water system”.

• Fellow Scientist (QHF, CSIR-IMMT, BBSR) from 25.07. 2002 to 22.07.2005.
• Senior Research Associate (Scientist Pool Scheme, CSIR) at IMMT, Bhubaneswar from 20.2. 2006 to 25.7. 2008.
• Faculty at Biomedical Engineering Department of National Institute of Technology (NIT), Raipur, India from August 2008- March 2009.
• Scientist at CSIR- IMMT, Bhubaneswar since 15.04. 2009 - 15.04. 2012.
• Senior Scientist at CSIR- IMMT, Bhubaneswar since 15.04. 2012- 15.04. 2016.
• Principal Scientist at CSIR- IMMT, Bhubaneswar since 15.04. 2016.

• Metal nano particles for environment applications and biosynthesis 
• Bio processing, bioleaching and bio-beneficiation of low grade ore/minerals and coal.
• Microalgal biotechnology for CO2 sequestration and biodiesel production.

• Prestigious "National Geosciences Award - 2012" conferred by Government of India, Ministry of Mines for contribution in the area of “Mineral Processing” on 24 Feb 2014 with cash award og Rs 2 L.
• Felicitated as “ Most Inspiring Women Engineers & Scientist” for the year 2014 by Engineering Watch Magazine, India on 08.03.2014 at New Delhi.
• Invited as Judge at Doha, Qatar during Nov 2015 for the event ‘Science Exhibition’ for the students of Indian schools of Qatar organized DST, Govt of India, and Science India Forum Doha, Qatar.
• CSIR-NET JRF and GATE in year 1993.

1.     Priyadarshini E, S S Priyadarshini, B.G Cousins, N Pradhan (2021) Metal-Fungus interaction: Review on cellular processes underlying heavy metal detoxification and synthesis of metal nanoparticles.  Chemosphere. Article in press. doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.129976. (IF- 7.08) 

2.     Priyadarshini E, S SPriyadarshini, N Pradhan (2019) Heavy metal resistance in algae and its application for metal nanoparticle synthesis Applied microbiology and biotechnology. 103(8):3297-3316 (IF- 3.34)

3.     Mishra S, S Panda, N Pradhan, SK Biswal, D Satapathy (2021) Acidophilic biodesulphurization of calcined pet coke and coal samples in iron and iron-free leaching media. Energy & Environment, Volume: 32: 424-442.(IF-1.775)       

4.     Aishvarya V, S Barman, N Pradhan, MK Ghosh. (2019) Selective enhancement of Mn bioleaching from ferromanganese ores in presence of electron shuttles using dissimilatory Mn reducing consortia. Hydrometallurgy 186, 269-274 (IF-3.339)

5.     Pradhan, A.K., Rath, A., Pradhan, N. Hazra R K, Nayak R R, Kanjilal S.,(2018), Cyclic lipopeptidebiosurfactant from Bacillus tequilensis exhibits multifarious activity. 3 Biotech 8: 261. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-018-1288-x (IF-1.798)

6.     Bhanjadeo M.M, Rath K, Gupta D, PradhanN, Biswal S.K., Mishra B.K., Subudhi U.  (2018) Differential desulfurization of dibenzothiophene by newly identified MTCC strains:Influence of Operon Array. PLOS ONE, March 8, 2018 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192536

7.     Priyadarshini E. and N. Pradhan (2017) Metal-induced aggregation of valine capped gold nanoparticles: An efficient and rapid approach for colorimetric detection of Pb²⁺ ions. Scientific Reports (Nature Springer Group). 7: 9278 DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-08847-5 (IF= 4.379)

8.     Priyadarshini E. and N. Pradhan (2017) Gold nanoparticles as efficient sensors in colorimetric detection of toxic metal ions: A review.  Sensors and Actuators-B.  238:888–902. (IF= 7.29)

9.     Mishra S, S Panda, N Pradhan, D Satapathy, S K Biswal, B K Mishra. (2017) Insights into DBT biodegradation by a native Rhodococcus strain and its sulphur removal efficacy for two Indian coals and calcined pet coke.  International Biodeterioration& Biodegradation.120, 124-134.

10.  Priyadarshini E., N Pradhan, A. K. Pradhan, P. Pradhan (2016) Label free and high specific detection of mercury ions based on silver nano-liposome.  SpectrochimicaActa Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy.183: 127–133 (IF= 4.098)

11.  Priyadarshini E., N. Pradhan, P.K. Panda, B.K. Mishra, 2015.  Biogenic unmodified gold nanoparticles for selective and quantitative detection of cerium using UV–vis spectroscopy and photon correlation spectroscopy (DLS). Biosensors and Bioelectronics.  68 (2015) 598–603. (IF= 10.26)

12.  Jena J, N Pradhan, V. Aishvarya , RR Nayak, BP Dash, LB Sukla, PK Panda , BK Mishra Biological sequestration of cadmium by microalgae Scenedesmus as CdS nanoparticles.J Appl Phycol.(2015)Volume 27, Issue 6, Page 2251-2260. (I.F-2.95)

(a) Microbial removal of phosphorus from LD slag. N. Pradhan,R.N.Kar, B. Das, L.B.Sukla and V.N. Misra.  2003. (Ref. No.: 0038NF2003/IN).

(b) Preparation of silica modified bio-based magnetite and its application thereof.’ PM Mishra, AP Devi, J K Pothal, R Boopathy, N Pradhan. Patent filed 2021. Patent application no. 0038NF2021.

Ongoing projects: 6

1.   Bioleaching of Lithium from minerals and low grade ores of Indian origin”. (2021-2022) Funded by Ministry of Mines, Govt of India. Project Leader-Dr. N. Pradhan

2.   Development of Cost-effective and Green Assay Technology for the Selective Detection of Toxic Metal Ions using Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles. DST-UKIERI (2017-2021). Project Leader. International Collaboration Project (Indo-UK).

3.  Green synthesis of low-cost, reusable and eco-friendly biobased magnetite nanocomposites for mitigation hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) in drinking water. DST-NanoMission, (Govt of India) Sept 2019 – Aug 2022. 38,48,000/-           Co PL 

4.     Environmental Pollution Monitoring at Paradip port. CNP-104 (Phase –IV), Paradip Port Trust, (Consultancy). Team member

5.  Recovery of Mn as EMD from low-grade ores and secondaries for energy applications. April 2020 to March 2022 Rs. 40 lakhs, 2 yrs          MLP-63. CoPL

6.    Production of lithium from ores (WP-1). (APRIL 2020-march 2022) Rs 78 L. HCP-2801          CSIR Mission-Mode- Bulk Chemicals project. Team Member

Completed Projects: 15

 Algal Biotechnology

 1.   Development of green process for CO2 sequestration using high rate algal ponds (DST). PL (2013-2017). Project Leader.

2.   Biomass to Energy (BioEn) (Network Project, CSIR) (2012- 2017). Project Leader.

3.   Use of high rate algal ponds for removal of Nitrogen and phosphorus from waste water.(DST) (2013-2017). Team member.

4.   Collection, Characterization and Screening of Microalgae from West Bengal and Orissa Coast and Pilot Scale Demonstration of Algal Oil Production. (DBT, India). (2009-2013) Team member.

 Metal nanoparticle synthesis and applications

5.  Process optimization for microbial synthesis of metal nanoparticle. IMMT (CSIR-In-House) (2010-2012).Project Leader

6.     Rapid point care microfluidic kit for multiple diagnosis of viral diseases in tomato and apple. (CSIR-IMMT, CSIR—IHBT, OUAT) CoPL. (CSIR) (2018-2020)

7.     Studies On Peptide/Protein and GNP Interaction For Optical Detection Of Pesticide In Water/Wastewater   Project Leader 2018-2020 (CSIR)

   Bioleaching Technology

8.   An Investigation on recovery of aluminium in Nalco fly ash through pyrohydrometallurgical and Bioprocessing methods. Sponsored by NALCO, Bhubaneswar. Team member (2014-2017)

9.  Potassic (K) fertiliser Technology to Empower the Nation (K-TEN) (Network Project, CSIR). (2012- 2017). Team member.

10. Minerals to Metals for sustainable planet (MINMET) CSIR. (2012- 2017). Team member.

11. Studies on microbial desulphurization of calcined petroleum coke (CPC-phase II). Sponsored by Alcoa, USA. (2009-2010) Team member.

12. Recovery of copper from Lean sulphide /chalcopyrite ore by bio-heap leaching technology followed by solvent extraction and electro winning at Malanjkhand copper project. Funded by Ministry of Mines, Govt. of India. Team member. (2009-2011)

13. Development of technology to produce clean coal from high ash and high sulphur Indian coal. Activity leader of Task III:Large scale removal of sulphur (Both pyritic and organic), from NE Coal by innovative microbiological methods (Ministry of Steel) (2010-2013). Team member.

14. Metallurgical test work on recovery of copper on leach residue Ms Chandra Proteco Ltd Mumbai, India. (2012-2013) Team member.

15. Development of advanced eco-friendly energy efficient processes for utilisation of iron ore resources in india.Activity IV: Utilization of waste generated during mining and processing for value addition. (2007-2012). Team member.