Research and expertise
My research endeavours concentrate on the detection and characterisation of micro and nanoplastics across several environmental matrices, including indoor air, outdoor air, soil, and water. This study utilises sophisticated analytical methods to identify, measure, and evaluate these emerging pollutants, which present considerable threats to environmental and human health.
I am now employed as a Postdoctoral Research Associate on a project under the Safe and Sustainable by Design framework, part of the European Horizon program. This initiative seeks to create advanced chemicals and materials that comply with rigorous sustainability and safety criteria. My position entails examining the emission routes, environmental behaviour, and possible exposure concerns of micro- and nanoplastics, aiding in the development of safer, more sustainable materials that reduce environmental impact while safeguarding human health. This study seeks to facilitate the establishment of regulatory frameworks and standards that encourage environmentally sustainable innovation in material science and chemical engineering.
- 2024-Present. Safe and Sustainable by Design Framework for the Next Generation of Chemicals and Materials (SSbD4CheM)
Recently completed research projects
- 2018-2023. Microplastics in Indoor Air (EskiÅŸehir Technical University)
Keywords
- Air Pollution Monitoring
- Health Risk Assessment
- Indoor Air Quality
- Indoor Micro and Nanoplastics
- Atmospheric Micro and Nanoplastics
- Polymer Chemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Waste Management
- Water Pollution
- Climate Change
- Bibliometric Analysis
- Micro FTIR
- Micro Raman
- Particulate Matter Instrument
- SEM-EDX.
- ATR-FTIR
- Ion Chromatography
- Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis
- Emission Inventory
Recent publications
- Hechmi, S., Bhat, M. A., Kallel, A., Khiari, O., Louati, Z., Khelil, M. N., ... & Jedidi, N. (2024) Soil contamination with microplastics (MPs) from treated wastewater and sewage sludge: risks and sustainable mitigation strategies. Discover Environment, 2(1), 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1007/s44274-024-00135-0
- Bhat MA (2024) Airborne microplastic contamination across diverse university indoor environments: A comprehensive ambient analysis. Air Qual Atmos Health. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01548-9
- Bhat, M.A., Gaga, E.O (2024) Unveiling the invisible: first discovery of micro- and nanoplastic size segregation in indoor commercial markets using a cascade impactor. Air Qual Atmos Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01624-0
- Bhat MA, Janaszek A (2024) Delving into River Health: Unveiling Microplastic Intrusion and Heavy Metal Contamination in Freshwater. Discov Environ 2:61. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44274-024-00101-w
- Bhat MA (2024) A Comprehensive Characterization of Indoor Ambient Microplastics in Households During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Air Qual Atmos 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01559-6
- Bhat MA, Gaga EO, Gedik K (2024) How can contamination be prevented during laboratory analysis of atmospheric samples for microplastics? Environ Monit Assess 196:1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-12345-3
All publications:
- Hechmi, S., Bhat, M. A., Kallel, A., Khiari, O., Louati, Z., Khelil, M. N., ... & Jedidi, N. (2024) Soil contamination with microplastics (MPs) from treated wastewater and sewage sludge: risks and sustainable mitigation strategies. Discover Environment, 2(1), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44274-024-00135-0
- Bhat MA (2024) Airborne microplastic contamination across diverse university indoor environments: A comprehensive ambient analysis. Air Qual Atmos Health. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01548-9
- Bhat, M.A., Gaga, E.O (2024) Unveiling the invisible: first discovery of micro- and nanoplastic size segregation in indoor commercial markets using a cascade impactor. Air Qual Atmos Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01624-0
- Bhat MA, Janaszek A (2024) Delving into River Health: Unveiling Microplastic Intrusion and Heavy Metal Contamination in Freshwater. Discov Environ 2:61. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44274-024-00101-w
- Bhat MA (2024) A Comprehensive Characterization of Indoor Ambient Microplastics in Households During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Air Qual Atmos 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01559-6
- Bhat MA, Gaga EO, Gedik K (2024) How can contamination be prevented during laboratory analysis of atmospheric samples for microplastics ? Environ Monit Assess 196:1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-12345-3
- Bhat MA (2024) Microplastics in indoor deposition samples in university classrooms. Discov Environ 2:23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44274-024-00054-0
- Bhat MA, Janaszek A (2024) Evaluation of Potentially Toxic Elements and Microplastics in the Water Treatment Facility. Environ Monit Assess 196:475. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-12651-w
- Bhat MA (2024) Unraveling the Microplastic Contamination: A Comprehensive Analysis of Microplastics in Indoor House Dust. Indoor Built Environ 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1177/1420326X241248054
- Thacharodi A, Hassan S, Meenatchi R, Bhat MA, et al. (2024) Mitigating microplastic pollution: A critical review on the effects, remediation, and utilization strategies of microplastics. J Environ Manage 351:119988.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119988
- Öztürk Ä°, Cinci D, Eraslan FN, Bhat MA, et al. (2024) A Preliminary Study to Evaluate Recovery in Environmental Microplastic Analysis. J Nat Hazards Environ 10:155–166. https://doi.org/10.21324/dacd.1279109
- Bhat MA (2024) Unveiling the overlooked threat: Macroplastic pollution in indoor markets in an urban city. Case Stud Chem Environ Eng 9:100558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscee.2023.100558
- Thacharodi A, Meenatchi R, Hassan S, Hussain N, Bhat MA, et al. (2024) Microplastics in the environment: A critical overview on its fate, toxicity, implications, management, and bioremediation strategies. J Environ Manage 349:119433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119433
- Bhat MA, Gedik K, Gaga EO (2023) A preliminary study on the natural aging behavior of microplastics in indoor and outdoor environments. Int J Environ Sci Technol 21:1923–1936. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-023-05319-4
- Bhat MA (2023) Indoor microplastics: a comprehensive review and bibliometric analysis. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30:121269–121291. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-30902-0
- Bhat MA, Gedik K, Gaga EO (2023) Atmospheric micro (nano) plastics: future growing concerns for human health. Air Qual Atmos Heal 16:233–262. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-022-01272-https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-022-01272-2
- Bhat MA, Eraslan FN, Awad A, et al (2022) Investigation of indoor and outdoor air quality in a university campus during COVID-19 lock down period. Build Environ J 219:109176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109176
- Mohammad F, Wajid MA, Bhat MA, (2019) Effect of Salicylic Acid Sprays on the Performance of Fenugreek Grown with Graded Levels of Salinity. Haya: Saudi J. Life Sci 4:346-354. http://dx.doi.org/10.36348/SJLS.2019.v04i10.003
- Bhat MA (2019) Remedial and phytochemical review study on Tecoma stans. SSRG IJAES 6:40-46. https://doi.org/10.14445/23942568/IJAES-V6I2P108
- Bhat MA, Yogamoorthi A (2018) Allelopathic Influence of Tecoma stans (L.) on the Seed Germination and Biochemical Changes in Green Gram. SSRG IJAES 5:38-48, 2018. https://doi.org/10.14445/23942568/IJAESV5I5P107
- Bhat MA (2017) Evaluation of Allelopathic effect of aqueous leaf extract of Tecomastans (L.) on seed germination and biochemical changes in Vigna radiata (L.). Int. J. Curr. Res 9:51014-51021
International book chapters:
- Bhat MA (2024) Indoor Microplastics and Microfibers Sources and Impacts on Human Health. In: Rathinamoorthy R, Balasaraswathi SR (eds) Microfibre Pollution from Textiles Research Advances and Mitigation Strategies, 1st Edn. CRC Press, pp 285–307. 10.1201/9781003331995-16
- Bhat MA, Eraslan FN, Gaga EO, Gedik K (2023) Scientometric Analysis of Microplastics across the Globe. In: Vithanage M, Prasad MNV (eds) Microplastics in the Ecosphere: Air, Water, Soil, and Food, 1st edn. JohnWiley & Sons Ltd, pp 3–13. 10.1002/9781119879534.ch1
- Eraslan FN, Bhat MA, Gedik K, Gaga EO (2023) The Single-Use Plastic Pandemic in the COVID-19 Era. In: Vithanage M, Prasad MNV (eds) Microplastics in the Ecosphere: Air, Water, Soil, and Food, 1st edn. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, pp 65–75. 10.1002/9781119879534.ch4
- Bhat MA, Eraslan FN, Ertaş G, GAGA EE (2023) Mikroplastik Numune Hazirlama Ve Analiz Teknikleri. In: Gedik k, Gaga EO (eds) Mikroplastiklerden Nanoplastiklere Plastik Kirleticiler, Ist edn. Nobel Akademik Yayıncılık, pp 159-166. https://hdl.handle.net/11511/108160
- Eraslan FN, Bhat MA, GAGA EE (2023) Havadaki Mikroplastikler. In: Gedik k, Gaga EO (eds) Mikroplastiklerden Nanoplastiklere Plastik Kirleticiler, Ist edn. Nobel Akademik Yayıncılık, pp 159-166. https://hdl.handle.net/11511/108160
- Bhat MA, Gedik K, Gaga EO (2023) Environmental impacts of nanoparticles: pros, cons, and future prospects. In: Ozturk M, Roy A, Bhat RA, et al. (eds) Synthesis of Bionanomaterials for Biomedical Applications, Ist Edn. Elsevier, pp 493–528. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91195-5.00002-7
- Bhat MA, Gedik K, Gaga EO (2022) Environmental Toxicity of Emerging Micro and Nanoplastics: A Lesson Learned from Nanomaterials. In: Dar AH, Nayik GA (eds) Nanotechnology Interventions in Food Packaging and shelf life (pp. 311-338). CRC Press. 10.1201/9781003207641-18
- Bhat MA, Gaga EO (2022) Air Pollutant Emissions in the Pristine Kashmir Valley from the Brick Kilns. In: Öztürk M, Khan SM, Alta V, et al. (eds) Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainability in Asia: Volume 2: Prospects and Challenges in South and Middle Asia, 2nd edn. Springer Nature Switzerland, pp 959–979. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73943-0_53
- Bhat MA, Gaga EO, Özkan A (2022) A New Approach Within AHP Framework for Prioritization of Air Quality Management in Kashmir. In: Öztürk M, Khan SM, Altay V, et al. (eds) Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainability in Asia: Volume 2: Prospects and Challenges in South and Middle Asia, 2nd edn. Springer Nature Switzerland, pp 981–995. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73943-0_54
- Bhat MA, Gaga EO (2022) Compendium of a Road Transport Emission Inventory for Srinagar City of Kashmir. In: Öztürk M, Khan SM, Alta V, et al. (eds) Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainability in Asia: Volume 2: Prospects and Challenges in South and Middle Asia, 2nd edn. Springer Nature Switzerland, pp 997–1011. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73943-0_55
- Eraslan FN, Bhat MA, Gaga EO, Gedik K (2021) Comprehensive Analysis of Research Trends in Volatile Organic Compounds Emitted from Building Materials: A Bibliometric Analysis. In: Malik JA, Marathe S (eds) Ecological and Health Effects of Building Materials, 1st edn. Springer Nature Switzerland, pp 87–109. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76073-1_6
- Bhat MA, Eraslan FN, Gedik K, Gaga EO (2021) Impact of Textile Product Emissions: Toxicological Considerations in Assessing Indoor Air Quality and Human Health. In: Malik JA, Marathe S (eds) Ecological and Health Effects of Building Materials, 1st edn. Springer Nature Switzerland, pp 505–541. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76073-1_27
Conference presentations and posters:
- Soydan SE, Eraslan FN, Ulusoy MS, Bhat MA, Gaga EO (2022) A New Route of Exposure for Microplastics: Contact Lenses. The Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) - 33rd Annual MeetingAt: Dublin
- Bhat MA, Gedik K, Gaga EO (2022) Size segregation of indoor ambient micro (nano) plastics in commercial markets. EsTekFest, EskiÅŸehir Technical University, Türkiye. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.28185.49766
- Bhat MA, Gedik K, Gaga EO (2022) Characterization of Microplastic's in the Indoor Air of a University Campus. EUROqCHARM - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
- Åžare I, Bhat MA, Eraslan FN, Gaga EO (2022) Can the cabin air filters in vehicles serve as microplastic samplers? EUROqCHARM - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.22144.10246
- Ulusoy MS, Bhat MA, Eraslan FN, Gaga EO (2022) Microplastic Pollution in Atmospheric Deposition Samples. EUROqCHARM - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
- Soydan SE, Bhat MA, Eraslan FN, Gaga EO (2022) Size Distribution of Atmospheric Microplastics. EUROqCHARM - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
- Bhat MA, Gedik K, Gaga EO (2022) Characterization of Indoor Airborne Microplastics in a University Campus. 10th International Symposium on Atmospheric Sciences: Istanbul - Türkiye.
- Bhat MA, Gedik K, Gaga EO (2022) Laundry and dry cleaning environments as a source of microplastics. MICRO, Online Atlas Edition: Plastic Pollution from MACRO to nano, Online. http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7217111
Profile
I am an experienced researcher in environmental engineering, holding a PhD in environmental science and focussing on the investigation of macro, micro, and nanoplastics. My study has been crucial in tackling significant environmental issues, integrating a profound understanding of the origins, dynamics, and effects of plastic pollution on ecosystems and human health. My expertise lies in using cutting-edge analytical techniques to track the lifetime and fate of plastic pollutants, aiding in the development of novel ways to alleviate their detrimental impacts. I have a strong track record of conducting innovative research and have gained recognition for my ability to effectively collaborate in interdisciplinary teams, enabling the successful integration of diverse scientific perspectives. My work has progressed in the formulation of sustainable ways to mitigate plastic pollution while also offering significant insights into the related environmental hazards.
My leadership in managing complicated research projects, together with my ability to articulate sophisticated scientific ideas to both academic and non-academic audiences, makes me an essential asset to the area of environmental science. I am motivated by a dedication to sustainability and environmental conservation, and I am committed to using my scientific expertise and comprehensive research experience to formulate innovative, evidence-based solutions that address urgent environmental challenges while improving environmental engineering practices and methodologies.
Academic and Professional affiliations
- 2024-present: Postdoctoral Research Associate, School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Leicestershire United Kingdom
- 2023-2024: Cluster Resource Coordinator in Environmental Science, Jammu and Kashmir Education Department, India
- 2022-2023: Research Exchange Student, Kielce University of Technology, Kielce, Poland
- 2018-2023: PhD Environmental Engineering, EskiÅŸehir Technical University, EskiÅŸehir, Türkiye
- 2017-2018: Turkish Language, Anadolu University, EskiÅŸehir, Türkiye
- 2015-2017: MSc Ecology and Environmental Science, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry, India
- 2012-2015: BSc (Hons) Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
Awards
- JSPS (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science), postdoctoral fellow for 2024
- Doctoral Fellow of Presidency for Turks and Related Communities, September 2017-2023
- European Union PhD Exchange Student, 2022-2023
External activities - International Courses
- Air Pollution - A Global Threat to our Health- University of Copenhagen
- Introduction to indoor air quality - The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
- Fundamentals of Gis - University of California
- How to create Great online content - University of Leeds
- Global Biosecurity for one health - Murdoch University
- Bushfires: Response, Relief, and Resilience - The University of Newcastle Australia
- Big Data Analytics: Opportunities, Challenges and the Future - Griffith University
- Supporting Adolescent Learners: Social and Emotional wellbeing - Griffith University