Ph.D. University of Manchester (UMIST), 1997 M.Sc. (Eng.) Amirkabir University of Technology, 1987 B.Sc. (Eng.) Amirkabir University of Technology,1984 P.Eng. (Registered Professional Engineer, APEGS) My research interest center around the area of environmental bioengineering, aiming to address some of the environmental problems encountered in the petroleum and mining industries, as well as the agriculture sector. These include application of the bacteria of sulphur cycle in treatment of acid mine drainage, sour gas and waters contaminated with sulphide and nitrate, containment of souring and biocorrosion in oil reservoirs, and control of H2S emission from livestock operations. Potential for generating energy during the treatment of wastewaters through utilization of microbial fuel cell type bioreactors is also investigated. Development of biotechnologies for remediation of soils and waters contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy petroleum compounds and naphthenic acids, with the latter being a major environmental issue associated with processing of oil sands in Western Canada, is the other component of my research. Development and utilization of novel bioreactors such as bead mill and circulating packed-bed bioreactors for improving mass transfer and bioremediation kinetics is one of the main aspects of research in this area. Feasibility of an integrated chemical and biological approach for the treatment of complex organic pollutants is also being evaluated.

2011-2014 Anaerobic biodegradation of naphthenic acids under denitrifying conditions Bioremediation of naphthenic acids in a circulating packed bed bioreactor Co-biodegradation of linear and aromatic naphthenic acids in circulating packed-bed bioreactor Denitrification and biodesulphurization using sulphur and H2S Removal of ammonia (nitrification) in conventional and microbial fuel cell bioreactors Treatment of organic wastewaters in microbial fuel cell bioreactors 2010-2011 Bioremediation of naphthenic acids in a circulating packed bed bioreactor Chemical and biological remediation of petroleum contaminants Denitrification and biodesulphurization using sulphur and H2S Removal of ammonia (nitrification) in conventional and microbial fuel cell bioreactors Treatment of organic wastewaters in microbial fuel cell bioreactors 2009-2010 A comparative study of autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrification using sulphide and acetate Bioremediation of naphthenic acids in a circulating packed bed bioreactor Chemical and biological remediation of petroleum contaminants Denitrification and biodesulphurization using sulphur and H2S Laboratory, semi-pilot and room scale control of H2S emission from swine barns using nitrite and molybdate Removal of ammonia (nitrification) in conventional and microbial fuel cell bioreactors Treatment of organic wastewaters in microbial fuel cell bioreactors 2008-2009 Biological Capture of CO2 and/or H2S in the Presence of Limited Oxygen Denitrification in a microbial fuel cell Kinetics of bioremediation of naphthenic acids in bioreactors

Awume, B., Tajallipour, M., Nemati, M., Predicala, B. (2017) Application of ZnO nanoparticles in control of H2S emission from low temperature gases and swine manure gas. Water, Air & Soil Pollution. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11270-017-3328-2. Moreno, L., Nemati, M., Predicala, B. (2017) Biodegradation of phenol in batch and continuous flow microbial fuel cells with rod and granular graphite electrodes. Environmental Technology. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2017.1296895. Rezaei, E., Schlageter, B., Nemati, M., Predicala, B. (2017) Evaluation of metal oxide nanoparticles for adsorption of gas phase ammonia. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. 5: 422–431. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2016.12.026 Dong F.Z., Nemati, M. (2016) Anoxic biodegradation of a surrogate naphthenic acid coupled to reduction of nitrite. Biochemical Engineering Journal. 110:84-94. Available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bej.2016.02.013 Moreno, L., Nemati, M., Predicala, B. (2015) Biokinetic evaluation of fatty acids degradation in microbial fuel cell type bioreactors, Bioprocess Biosystem Engineering, 38(1), 25-38. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00449-014-1240-3 D’Souza, L., Sami, Y., Nemati, M., Headley, J. (2014) Continuous co-biodegradation of linear and cyclic naphthenic acids in circulating packed-bed bioreactors, Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy, 33(3), 835-843. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ep.11856. Nikakhtari, H., Song, W., Nemati, M., Hill, G.A. (2014) Oxygen mass transfer and scale-up studies in baffled roller bioreactors, Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, 37, 193-203. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00449-013-0985-4 Gunawan, Y., Nemati, M., Dalai, A. (2013) Biodegradation of a surrogate naphthenic acid under denitrifying conditions, Water Research, 51, 11-24. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2013.12.016 Daalkhaijav, U., Nemati, M. (2013) Ammonia loading rate: an effective variable to control partial nitrification and generate the anaerobic ammonium oxidation influent, Environmental Technology, 34, 2907-2915. Available online at:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2013.796006 Sun, Y. and Nemati, M. (2012). Evaluation of sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification and denitritation for biological removal of nitrate and nitrite from contaminated waters, Bioresource Technology (citations assigned late June 2102; not reported in previous year annual activity report), 114, 207-216. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2012.03.061 An, S., Loden, B. and Nemati, M. (2012). Evaluation of heterotrophic nitrite removal by a sulphide and acetate oxidizing mixed culture originated from an oil reservoir, Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, 87, 410-417. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jctb.2738 Huang, J., Nemati, M., Hill, G.A. and Headley, J. (2012). Batch and Continuous Biodegradation of Three Model Naphthenic Acids in a Circulating Packed-bed Bioreactor, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 202, 132-140. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.11.052 Kumar, P., Nemati, M. and Hill, G.A. (2011). Biodegradation kinetics of 1,4-benzoquinone in batch and continuous systems, Biodegradation, 22(6), 1087-1093. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1007/s10532-011-9465-1 Kumar, P., Nikakhtari, H., Nemati, M. and Hill, G.A. (2011). Kinetic modelling of phenol oxidation in a bioremediation medium using Fentons reagent, International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering, 9, A-38. Available online at: http://www.bepress.com/ijcre/vol9/A38/ An, S., Stone, H. and Nemati, M. (2011). Biological removal of nitrate by an oil reservoir culture capable of autotrophic and heterotrophic activities: Kinetic evaluation and modeling of heterotrophic process, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 190(1-3), 686-693. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.03.102 Kumar, P., Nikakhtari, H., Nemati, M. and Hill, G.A. (2010). Oxidation of phenol in a bioremediation medium using chlorine dioxide., Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, 85(5), 720-725. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1002/jctb.2366 Tang, K., An, S. and Nemati, M. (2010). Evaluation of autotrophic and heterotrophic processes in biofilm reactors used for removal of sulphide, nitrate and COD, Bioresource Technology, 101(21), 8109-8118. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2010.06.037 Nikakhtari, H., Kumar, P., Nemati, M. and Hill, G.A. (2010). Scale up of diesel oil biodegradation in a baffled roller bioreactor, Chemosphere, 79(10), 1010-1016. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2010.03.001 An, S., Tang, K.M. and Nemati, M. (2010). Simultaneous biodesulphurization and denitrification using an oil reservoir microbial culture: Effects of sulphide loading rate and sulphide to nitrate loading ratio, Water Research, 44, 1521-1531. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2009.10.037 Moreno, L.D., Predicala, B. and Nemati, M. (2010). Laboratory, semi-pilot and room scale study of nitrite and molybdate mediated control of H2S emission from swine manure, Bioresource Technology, 101, 2141-2151. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2009.11.011 Kumar, P., Nikakhtari, H., Nemati, M. and Hill, G.A. (2010). Oxidation of phenol in a bioremediation medium using Fentons reagent, Environmental Technology, 31(1), 47-52. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09593330903338403 Paslawski, J., Nemati, M., Hill, G.A. and Headley, J.V. (2009). Model for biodegradation of a naphthenic acid in an immobilized cell reactor, Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 87(3), 507-13. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cjce.20176 Nikakhtari, H., Kumar, P., Nemati, M. and Hill, G.A. (2009). Physical and biological treatment of oil-contaminated soil in a baffled roller bioreactor, Bioremediation Journal, 13(30), 130-140. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10889860903127027 Tang, K., Baskaran, J. and Nemati, M. (2009). Bacteria of the sulphur cycle: An overview of microbiology, biokinetics and their role in petroleum and mining industries., Biochemical Engineering Journal (Invited Review), 44(1), 73-94. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bej.2008.12.011 Paslawski, J., Headley, J., Hill, G.A. and Nemati, M. (2009). Biodegradation Kinetics of Trans-4-methyl-1-cyclohexane carboxylic Acid, Biodegradation, 20(1), 125-33. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10532-008-9206-2