EIACP (PC-RP) on Environmental Problems of Mining

Date | 25th July 2025:

As part of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad's ongoing Centenary Celebrations, and under the “Mission LiFE Keynote Lecture Series [2025–26] – Harnessing Innovation for Environmental Sustainability: Policies, Practices, and Partnerships,” the EIACP Programme Centre (RP) at Department of Environmental Science & Engineering (ESE), IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, on Friday, July 25th, 2025, organized a lecture-cum-interaction session on Friday, July 25th, 2025 at the Seminar Hall, Department of ESE, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad. Invited keynote speaker Dr. Abhrajyoti Tarafdar - Assistant Lecturer in Environmental Health and Safety Management at the School of Food Science & Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin and an alumnus of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, delivered a keynote lecture on “Microplastics: Tracing the Invisible Hazard Across Ecosystems, Nutrition, and Healthcare”.

At the outset of the lecture session, Prof. Alok Sinha - HOD, Department of ESE & Coordinator, EIACP (PC-RP), IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, extended a warm welcome to the invited keynote speaker, Dr. Abhrajyoti Tarafdar, and all participants in attendance. In his welcome address, Prof. Sinha emphasized the growing global concern surrounding microplastics and highlighted the critical need to explore their often-overlooked journey from environmental sources to their infiltration into food systems and human health. He underscored the importance of interdisciplinary research, public awareness, and innovation in detection and mitigation technologies, noting that such efforts are essential to address the complex and far-reaching impacts of microplastics.

Following the welcome address, Ms. Saanya Chaturvedi – Research Scholar, Dept. of ESE, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, gave a brief introduction of invited keynote speaker, Dr. Abhrajyoti Tarafdar, highlighting his academic and professional background. She highlighted Dr. Tarafdar’s key research contributions and research expertise in areas such as microbe–plastic interactions, health risk assessment of emerging contaminants, and microbial biodegradation of hazardous pollutants. With this, she invited Dr. Tarafdar to deliver his keynote lecture.

Dr. Abhrajyoti Tarafdar in his lecture shared critical insights into the growing threat of microplastics (MPs), tiny plastic particles that are increasingly found in our environment, food, and even clinical settings. In his talk, he highlighted how MPs, due to their small size and persistence, are able to travel across ecosystems and accumulate in living organisms, posing risks to both environmental and human health. Dr. Tarafdar talked about his study which looks at MPs from multiple angles: how they can be broken down, how we can detect them better, and what risks they might pose, even in medical settings.

Dr. Tarafdar discussed his multidisciplinary investigation into the detection, biodegradation, and biomedical implications of MPs. He spoke about isolating a special plastic-degrading bacterium (Bacillus Siamensis ATKU1), which has the ability to form biofilms on plastic surfaces and initiate the degradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), a widely used packaging material. To support and validate these findings, his team employed a range of advanced analytical techniques — including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Additionally, Dr. Tarafdar explained how certain plastic additives, particularly UV stabilizers, were also examined to enhance early microbial colonization while simultaneously inducing oxidative stress and altering the morphology of the bacteria. He explained that, to address the challenges of identifying microplastics (MPs) in complex environments such as soil and food, his team developed an innovative dye-based method that enables easier detection and accurate quantification of MPs. One of the most surprising findings, he noted, was the detection of microplastics in intravenous (IV) fluid systems used in hospitals, suggesting that even medical-grade plastics can release harmful particles during routine use, thereby raising new concerns about biomedical safety. This shows that microplastics are not just an environmental problem they could also pose risks in healthcare and emphasizes the urgent need for better detection tools and stronger safety regulations.

The session witnessed the active participation of 70 attendees, including research scholars, M.Tech. students, faculty members and staff, who engaged in an interactive discussion with the invited keynote speaker, Dr. Tarafdar. The audience posed insightful questions, reflecting a strong interest in understanding the pathways of microplastic pollution, microbial degradation strategies, and the implications of microplastic contamination in food systems and healthcare settings. The discussion also explored the potential for integrating scientific innovations into policy and regulatory frameworks to address this growing environmental and public health challenge.

The lecture added a significant dimension to the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) initiative, aligning with its vision of promoting sustainable lifestyles through informed policies, scientific research, and participatory action. The session not only enriched the academic community but also strengthened the message of integrating environmental resilience into the urban fabric through innovative and nature-based solutions to plastic pollution, an urgent global challenge. The lecture powerfully illustrated how interdisciplinary research can inform sustainable policies, practices, and public behaviour in line with the Mission LiFE goal of fostering behavioural change and systemic impact.

At the conclusion of the keynote lecture session, Dr. Abhrajyoti Tarafdar was felicitated by Prof. Alok Sinha, with a memento as a token of appreciation for his valuable time and for delivering an inspiring and insightful lecture. Prof. Alok Sinha concluded the session with a heartfelt Vote of Thanks and encouraged research scholars to actively explore postdoctoral opportunities, emphasizing pathways for international collaboration and advanced research.

The event was organized with the support of Prof. Sukumar Mishra - Director IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, and Prof. Dheeraj Kumar - Deputy Director, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad and under the guidance of Prof. Alok Sinha - HOD, Department of ESE & Coordinator, EIACP (PC-RP), IIT (ISM) Dhanbad and Prof. Suresh Pandian E. – Associate Professor, Department of ESE & Co-coordinator, EIACP (PC-RP), IIT (ISM) Dhanbad. The event was coordinated by Mr. Bishwajit Das - Programme Officer, EIACP (PC-RP), IIT (ISM) Dhanbad.

Glimpses of Lecture under Mission LiFE Keynote Lecture Series [2025-26]
held on 25.07.2025 at Dept. of ESE, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad.

Invited Keynote Speaker Dr. Abhrajyoti Tarafdar - Assistant Lecturer in Environmental Health and Safety Management at the School of Food Science & Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin along with Prof. Alok Sinha - HOD, Department of ESE & Coordinator, EIACP (PC-RP), IIT (ISM) Dhanbad and Mr. Bishwajit Das - Programme Officer, EIACP (PC-RP), IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, at HOD’s Chamber, Dept. of ESE, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad.

Welcome Address by Prof. Alok Sinha - HOD, Department of ESE & Coordinator, EIACP (PC-RP), IIT (ISM) Dhanbad.

Brief introduction of invited keynote speaker, Dr. Abhrajyoti Tarafdar, read by Ms. Saanya Chaturvedi – Research Scholar, Dept. of ESE, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad.

Invited keynote speaker Dr. Abhrajyoti Tarafdar - Assistant Lecturer in Environmental Health and Safety Management at the School of Food Science & Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin deliveringd a keynote lecture on “Microplastics: Tracing the Invisible Hazard Across Ecosystems, Nutrition, and Healthcare”.

Invited keynote speaker Dr. Abhrajyoti Tarafdar - Assistant Lecturer in Environmental Health and Safety Management at the School of Food Science & Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin deliveringd a keynote lecture on “Microplastics: Tracing the Invisible Hazard Across Ecosystems, Nutrition, and Healthcare”.

Participants including Faculty members, PhD Research Scholars and M.Tech Students attending the insightful keynote lecture.

An engaging Q&A session with interactive discussion with the invited keynote speaker, Dr. Abhrajyoti Tarafdar.

Prof. Alok Sinha concluding the session with a heartfelt Vote of Thanks and encouraging research scholars to actively explore postdoctoral opportunities, emphasizing pathways for international collaboration and advanced research.

Prof. Alok Sinha felicitating Dr. Abhrajyoti Tarafdar with a memento as a token of appreciation for his valuable time and delivering an insightful, inspiring lecture.

Group Photo.