Dr. Soumi Dutta
About Myself
I am Dr. Soumi Dutta, currently a Postdoctoral Fellow under the SERB National-Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) in the Department of Material Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, with Prof. Suryasarathi Bose as my advisor. I obtained my PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, and completed my master's degree at Jadavpur University. My bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering is from the University of Burdwan. My research focuses on developing cutting-edge nano-adsorbents and fabricating water filtration membranes for sustainable water remediation, including emerging pollutant removal, desalination and water/wastewater treatment. I am keen on industry-academia collaboration in water research and aspire to contribute as a faculty member.
Contact
Dr. Soumi Dutta
SERB National-Post Doctoral Fellow (N-PDF)
Department of Materials Engineering
Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, Karnataka 560012, India
Email ID: soumidutta@iisc.ac.in
Research Skills
Fabrication of Interpenetrating Polymer Networks (IPN) membrane, nano-adsorbent and hydrogel for water treatment
Expertise in water filtration, antifouling, photocatalytic driven-self-cleaning, antibacterial membranes synthesis
Arsenic, heavy metal, micro/nano-plastic, hardness removal from water
Nanomaterial synthesis, mixed matrix membrane synthesis, and materials characterization
Research paper writing, experimental lab setup, instrument handling, teamwork, industry-academia collaboration, teaching, research mentorship
Research Interest
Advanced water treatment technology, Membrane separation, Metal Recovery, Nano adsorbent, Polymeric Hydrogel, Water treatment, Desalination, Toxic Emerging Pollutants (Micro/nano-plastic, heavy metal, Arsenic, PFAS) removal from water, Adsorption, Photocatalysis, Microplastic Degradation, Interpenetrating Polymer Network, Hardness Removal, Wastewater Treatment Plant, Anaerobic Digestion, Activated Sludge Process (ASP), Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR), Environmental pollutions.
🌟Research Highlights🌟
Press Release on 12-04-2024
✨Press release:
I am extremely happy to share that our research work is featured in IISc Press Release and other national media outlets!
IISc Press: https://iisc.ac.in/events/novel-hydrogel-removes-microplastics-from-water/
KERNEL IISc: https://kernel.iisc.ac.in/novel-hydrogel-removes-microplastics-from-water/
The Times of India: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/hydrogel-to-tackle-microplastic-pollution/articleshow/109705796.cms
Deccan Herald: https://www.deccanherald.com/science/iisc-bengaluru-develops-sustainable-hydrogel-that-removes-microplastics-from-water-2975465
The Hindu: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/iisc-researchers-design-novel-hydrogel-to-remove-microplastics-from-water/article68058021.ece
PHYS ORG: https://phys.org/news/2024-04-hydrogel-microplastics.html
The Economic Times: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/science/iisc-researchers-develop-hydrogel-that-can-remove-microplastics-from-water/articleshow/109254690.cms?from=mdr
The New Indian Express: https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2024/Apr/13/iisc-develops-tech-to-remove-plastic-from-water
✨Magazine publication:
Excited to share that our article "Is Microplastic Pollution Overhyped? Current Scenario, Hypotheses and Mitigating Strategies" has been published in the April-May 2024 edition of POLYMERS Communiqué magazine!
Minute plastic particles, often unseen, contaminate aquatic ecosystems, harming marine life and potentially entering the human food chain. Addressing this issue demands concerted efforts in research, waste management, and sustainable practices to mitigate the impact on both the environment and public health.
POLYMERS Communique magazine 👉
April-May 2024 edition
http://eb.mypc.co.in/PC%20Magazine/10.4/17%20-%20Soumi%20Dutta%20-%20R.pdf
Journal of Membrane Science, Elsevier
Volume 694, February 2024, 122422
✨Recent Publication:
A photocatalytic self-cleaning membrane utilizes light-activated catalysts to degrade organic pollutants, effectively cleaning itself. This innovative technology offers a sustainable solution for water purification applications, reducing the need for manual cleaning and enhancing membrane longevity, thus contributing to environmental conservation and improved water quality.
✨Exciting News
I am absolutely thrilled to share that my recent research article (https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2024/nr/d3nr06115a) has been selected for themed collection "Celebrating International Women's Day 2024: Women in Nanoscience" by the Royal Society of Chemistry!
In line with International Women's Day 2024, the Royal Society of Chemistry is highlighting the impactful work of women researchers in Nanoscience #RSCNano, and I am honored to be a part of this collection.
You can read more about this collection here: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/journals/articlecollectionlanding?sercode=nr&themeid=babf46ee-a2ef-4fe5-8382-31f04481b145
Nanoscale, RSC
Volume 16, February 2024, 5188-5205
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/NR/D3NR06115A?page=search
✨Recent Publication:
Microplastic pollution in water poses a growing environmental threat. A novel hydrogel, pGel@IPN, comprising chitosan, PVA, and PANI infused with Copper substitute Polyoxometalate nanoclusters, effectively removes microplastics from water. This scalable solution combines adsorption and photodegradation, achieving up to 95% removal efficiency for PVC and PP microplastics, with potential for circular economy practices.
Chemical Engineering Journal, Elsevier
Volume 472, September 2023, 145008
✨Recent Publication:
Commercial membranes face permeability-selectivity trade-offs, fouling, and high energy use. Our solution involves integrating 'green tea' extract EGCG with doped aniline and pyrrole in PVDF, forming triple IPNs. This membrane exhibits excellent stability, salt rejection, dye removal, and antimicrobial properties, offering a sustainable solution for water treatment.