Arindam Malakar

Arindam Malakar

  • Contact Information
  • My Story
  • Publications
  • Background
  • Advising
  • Courses Taught

Contact Information

TitleWater Research Scientist
Faculty RankResearch Assistant Professor
Address229f South Hardin Hall
3310 Holdrege Street
Lincoln NE
68583–0982

East Campus
Phone
  • office: 402-472-3253
E-mailamalakar2@unl.edu
VitaeDownload file

 

My Story

Dr. Malakar received his Ph.D. in 2017. In his Ph.D., he worked across three continents, which include the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Sciences, Kolkata, the University of Calcutta, India, one of the top-ranking research facilities in India, the University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy, and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) and the European Union supported his graduate research in Europe. Malakar is a recipient of the prestigious "Water Advanced Research and Innovation (WARI)" Internship Program, supported by the Department of Science and Technology, India, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, the Daugherty Water for Food Institute (DWFI), and the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF). He has received the Young Scientist award from the Materials Research Society of India for his excellent research in improving water quality. He works with the local stakeholders and leads research efforts to understand the impact of land surface processes influenced by agricultural activities on the state groundwater quality and validate and verify next-generation cropping system models. His research focuses on understanding nitrogen, carbon, and metal dynamics in the agroecosystem and critical zone.

Malakar’s research interests include the following:

  • Identifying the influence of surface processes in agroecosystems on the occurrence of anthropogenic and geogenic contaminants in the critical zone.
  • Developing vadose zone-centric technologies to mitigate groundwater pollutants.
  • Integrate experimental and modeling approaches to understand nanoscale hydrogeochemical transformation in the root-pore water-soil system.

Grants

PI:

Malakar, A. (PI-US), Snow, D. D., and Kalmakhanova M. S. (PI-KZ). (2022-2025). Ministry of Education and Science, Kazakhstan. “CECs in Urban Wastewater of Kazakhstan.” $17,400.

Malakar, A. (PI), Haacker, E., Ray, C., and Snow, D. D. (2022-2026). USDA-NIFA-AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Program A1411. “Identifying Reactive Nitrogen Dynamics in the Deep Vadose Zone to Protect Groundwater Quality.” $749,861.

Co-PI:

Ray, C. and Malakar, A. (2022-2027). USDA-ARS Co-operative agreement, “Development of Data Bases for Model Development and Field Testing of Crop Models in Mid-West Farms.” $790,000.

Iqbal, J., Johnson, L., Malakar, A., Milander, J., Proctor, C., Schmidt, A., and Snow, D. D. (2022-2025). USDA-NIFA-AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Program A1701. “Demonstrating an integrated nutrient management approach for improving drinking groundwater quality in Nebraska.” $298,631.

Kaiser, M., Malakar, A., and Koehler-Cole, K. (2021-2024). University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Agricultural Research Division/Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station. Hatch Multistate Enhancement Program. “Maximizing soil agro-ecosystem services by combining cover cropping under no-till with application of biochar derived from waste wood of invasive Red Cedar.” $149,275.

Disclosure

Dr. Malakar has disclosed a significant financial interest in membership and management of Rootzone Solutions, LLC. In accordance with its Conflict of Interest policy, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Conflict of Interest Review Committee has determined that this must be disclosed.

Rootzone Solutions, LLC (www.rootzone.us) is a company that specializes in developing nature inspired nanoamendments to improve carbon sequestration and nutrient use efficiency. This outside activity provides Dr. Malakar with additional insight into development of products to improve sustainable agricultural practices and improves his ability to assist farmers and commercial agricultural clientele with their management decisions. Outside business activity is encouraged at the University of Nebraska as a way to improve faculty insight and promote economic development.

Selected Publications

Beegum, S., A. Malakar, C. Ray, and D.D. Snow, 2023. Importance of snowmelt on soil nitrate leaching to groundwater – A model study. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 255: p. 104163.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2023.104163. Online
Beegum, S., Malakar, A., Ray, C., and Snow, D. D., (2023). Importance of snowmelt on soil nitrate leaching to groundwater–A model study. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 255, 104163.Online
Cooper, J. A.*, Malakar, A.*, and Kaiser, M., (2023). Self-functionalization of soil-aged biochar surfaces increases nitrate retention. Science of the Total Environment, 861, pp.160644. *Co-first author
Kalmakhanova, M. S., Diaz de Tuesta, J. L., Malakar, A., Gomes, H. T., Snow, D. D. (2023) Wastewater Treatment in Central Asia: Treatment Alternatives for Safe Water Reuse. Sustainability 15, 14949. Online
Li, Lidong, Shields, J., Snow, D. D., Kaiser, M., and Malakar, A. (2023) Labile carbon and soil texture control nitrogen transformation in deep vadose zone. Science of the Total Environment, 878, 163075. Online
Malakar, A., Das, S., Islam, S., Singh, R., Ray, S. (2023) Leaching Performance of Nanotechnology-Induced High-Arsenic-Bearing Tooeleite-like Mineral Nanowaste. Environments 10, 185. Online
Malakar, A., Ray, C., D’Alessio, M., Shields, J., Adams, C., Stange, M., Weber, K. A., Snow, D. D. (2023) Interplay of legacy irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer inputs to spatial variability of arsenic and uranium within the deep vadose zone. Science of the Total Environment 897, 165299.
Satybaldiyev, B., Ismailov, B., Nurpeisov, N., Kenges, K., Snow, D., Malakar, A., and Uralbekov, B., (2023) Evaluation of dissolved and acid-leachable trace element concentrations in relation to practical water quality standards in the Syr Darya, Aral Sea Basin, South Kazakhstan. Chemosphere, 313, 137465.
Satybaldiyev, B., Ismailova, B., Nurpeisova, N., Kenges, K., Snow, D. D., Malakar, A., Taukebayev, O., and Bolat Uralbekov, B. (2023) Downstream hydrochemistry and irrigation water quality of the Syr Darya, Aral Sea Basin, South Kazakhstan. Water Supply, 23(5), 2119. Online
Borah, P., Chetan, Sharma, V., Malakar, A., Bhinder, S. S., Kansal, S. K., and Devi, P. A., (2022). Facile Method for detection and speciation of inorganic selenium with ion chromatography. Chromatographia, 85, pp. 213-218.
Cooper, J., Drijber, R. A., Malakar, A., Jin, V. L., Miller, D. N., and Kaiser, M., (2022). Evaluating coal char as an alternative to biochar for mitigating nutrient and carbon loss from manure amended soils – insights from a greenhouse experiment. Journal of Environmental Quality, 52(2), pp. 1-16.
Malakar, A., Snow, D. D., Kaiser, M., Shields, J., Maharjan, B., Walia, H., Rudnick, D., and Ray, C., (2022) Ferrihydrite enrichment in the rhizosphere of unsaturated soil improves nutrient retention while limiting arsenic and uranium plant uptake Science of the Total Environment, 806(4), pp.150967.Online
Panda, B., Chidambaram, S., Snow, D. D., Malakar, A., Alagappan, R., Singh, D. K., and Elumalai, V., (2022). Source apportionment and health risk assessment of nitrate in foothill aquifers of Western Ghats, South India. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 229(1), pp. 113075.Online
Ray, C., Malakar, A., and Snow, D. D., (2022). Response to Groundwater Storage Recovery Raises the Risk of Nitrate Pollution by Min et al. (Vol 56, #1 pages 8-9). Environmental Science & Technology, 56(5), pp. 2841-2842.
Ray, C., Malakar, A., Snow, D. (2022). Letter to Editor: Response to “Groundwater Storage Recovery Raises the Risk of Nitrate Pollution”. Environmental Science & Technology, 56(5), 2841-2842. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c00497
Malakar, A., Kanel, S. R., Ray, C., Snow, D., Nadagouda, M. N. (2021). Nanomaterials in the environment, human exposure pathway, and health effects: A review (vol. 759).
Malakar, A., Singh, R., Westrop, J., Weber, K. A., Elofson, C. N., Kumar, M., Snow, D. (2021). Occurrence of arsenite in surface and groundwater associated with a perennial stream located in Western Nebraska, USA. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, 416.Online
Malakar, A., Kaiser, M., Snow, D. D., Walia, H., Panda, B., and Ray, C. (2020) Ferrihydrite reduction increases arsenic and uranium bioavailability in unsaturated soil. Environmental Science and Technology, 54(21), pp.13839-13848.
Malakar, A., Snow, D., Ray, C. 2019. Irrigation Water Quality–A Contemporary Perspective. Water. 11(7), 1482.Online
Snow, D., Cassada, D. A., Biswas, S., Malakar, A., D'Alessio, M., Carter, L. J., Johnson, R. D., Sallach, J. B. 2019. Detection, Occurrence and Fate of Emerging Contaminants in Agricultural Environments. Water Environ Research. 91(10):1103-1113.Online

Background

Education

DegreeMajorInstitutionYear Awarded
Doctorate of PhilosophyChemistryUniversity of Calcutta, India2017
Master of ScienceChemistryBanaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India2010
Bachelor of ScienceChemistryUniversity of Burdwan, Burdwan, India2008

 

Affiliations

 

SNR Program Areas

  • Environmental Science

Advising

Graduate Programs

Master of Applied Science

Master of Science in Natural Resource Sciences
including specializations in

  • Hydrological Sciences

Doctorate of Philosophy in Natural Resource Sciences
including specializations in

  • Hydrological Sciences

Courses Taught

Course NumberCourse TitleFall Even YearsFall Odd YearsSpring Even YearsSpring Odd YearsSummer SessionCross Listing
NRES 299Introduction to Vadose Zone –Groundwater SystemsXX
NRES 319Fundamentals of Environmental SamplingXX
NRES 320Fundamentals of Environmental Sampling LaboratoryXX