Kaizar Hossain, assistant professor, Asutosh College in Kolkata
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
It is a proud moment for Asutosh College in Kolkata where an assistant professor in the department of environmental science not only got a paper published in the prestigious Nature journal but was also invited as a guest editor for the same journal’s special issue on clean water and sanitation.
Kaizar Hossain, 40, specialises in pollution mitigation and waste management, and one of his core research focuses is bioremediation technology for wastewater treatment, which is a method that uses biological agents such as bacteria, algae, fungi, and plants to remove contaminants from wastewater — something that his report in Nature spoke about. He is also interested in exploring nanotechnology applications for pollution mitigation, pioneering sustainable technologies that might be effective and accessible for diverse global contexts.
“I am truly honoured and grateful for this recognition from Nature. It inspires me to continue my work on sustainable water management and environmental conservation, contributing to solutions that benefit people and the planet,” Dr. Hossain told The Hindu.
On his research being published in Nature, he said, “Scientists are increasingly focusing on nanomaterials and nanocomposites derived from plant extracts. Inspired by this trend, my research group explored the use of plant extracts for large-scale nanocomposite production. Compared to conventional methods, biosynthesised nanoparticles are cost-effective, non-toxic, and highly stable, offering a sustainable and innovative approach to material synthesis.”
Dr. Hossain went on to say, “This is the first time, to my knowledge, that a trimetallic CuO/Ag/ZnO nanocomposite has been made using Ziziphus spina-christi leaf extract in an eco-friendly way. We also used simple methods to improve the process and make it a strong antimicrobial agent.”
Last week, shortly after the publication of his work, he found himself named as a guest editor for a special series, SDG-6: Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG standing for Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr. Hossain is a former teaching fellow and post-doctoral fellow (The World Academy of Science, Italy) at the Universiti Sains Malaysia, and his Ph.D. research at BARC, Mumbai, focused on electron beam radiation technology for sewage water treatment. His father, Anwar Hossain, is a national award-winning educator.
Last weekend, the assistant professor was felicitated by Asutosh College principal, Dr. Manas Kabi, and he praised the R&D cell of the institution for being “highly active, cultivating a strong culture of research”.
Published – April 01, 2025 02:53 am IST