Keerthi Katam

Dr. Keerthi Katam is presently working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, Mahindra University École Centrale School of Engineering (India). She finished her PhD in Civil Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, India. She worked on “Developing a Cost-effective Biological Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Treatment System Using Bacteria and Microalgae for Residential Communities”.During her PhD she also worked in Graduate school of Life science, Ritsumeikan University, Otsu, Shiga, Japan on projects “Aerobic Biodegradation of Surfactants and Fluorescent Whitening Agents in Detergents of a Few Selected Asian Countries (India, Indonesia, Japan, and Thailand) and Developing trickling photobioreactor for removing Linear alkylbenzene sulphonate and Caffeine from wastewater” under the funding of JICA. Her research interests are Photobioreactors, Biofuel production, Biological wastewater treatment (algae-activated sludge), and Decentralized wastewater treatment. She is also a reviewer of leading journals such Journal of Biotechnology, Journal of Water Process Engineering, and Arabian Journal of Chemistry.

• Ph.D. (Civil Engineering (Environmental Engineering)) – IIT Hyderabad, India.

• M.Tech. (Civil engineering (Environmental and Water Resources Engineering)) – IIT Hyderabad, India.

• B.Tech. (Civil Engineering) – Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kakinada, India.

• Intermediate – Nalanda Girls Junior college, Vijayawada, AP.

• SSC – St. Anne’s High School, Guntupalli, AP.

Journals

• Dharmalingam, B., Annamalai, S., Areeya, S., Rattanaporn, K., Katam, K., Show, P. L., & Sriariyanun, M. (2023). Bayesian Regularization Neural Network-Based Machine Learning Approach on Optimization of CRDI-Split Injection with Waste Cooking Oil Biodiesel to Improve Diesel Engine Performance. Energies, 16(6), 2805. (Quartile: Q1)
• Jose, D., Kitiborwornkul, N., Sriariyanun, M., & Keerthi, K. (2022). A Review on Chemical Pretreatment Methods of Lignocellulosic Biomass: Recent Advances and Progress. Applied Science and Engineering Progress, 15(4), 6210-6210.
• Tantayotai, P., Gundupalli, M. P., Katam, K., Rattanaporn, K., Cheenkachorn, K., & Sriariyanun, M. (2022). In-depth investigation of the bioethanol and biogas production from organic and mineral acid pretreated sugarcane bagasse: Comparative and optimization studies. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology, 45, 102499.
• Oruganti, R. K., Katam, K., Show, P. L., Gadhamshetty, V., Upadhyayula, V. K. K., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2022). A comprehensive review on the use of algal-bacterial systems for wastewater treatment with emphasis on nutrient and micropollutant removal. Bioengineered, 13(4), 10412-10453.

• Katam, K., Bhattacharyya, D., Soda, S., & Shimizu, T. (2021). Effect of hydraulic retention time on the performance of trickling photo-bioreactor treating domestic wastewater: Removal of carbon, nutrients, and micropollutants. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 102, 351–362. (IF: 6.064; Quartile: Q1)
• Katam, K., Tiwari, Y., Shimizu, T., Soda, S., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2021). Start‐up of a Trickling Photo‐bioreactor for the Treatment of Domestic Wastewater. Water Environment Research, 93, 1690–1699.
• Katam, K., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2021). Improving the performance of activated sludge process with integrated algal biofilm for domestic wastewater treatment: System behavior during the start-up phase. Bioresource Technology Reports, 13, 100618.

• Katam, K., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2020). Effect of solids retention time on the performance of algae-activated sludge association in municipal wastewater treatment and biofuel production.Journal of Applied Phycology, Springer Nature, v 32, 1803–1812 . (IF: 3.215; Quartile: Q1)
• Katam, K., Shimizu, T., Soda, S., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2020). Performance evaluation of two trickling filters removing LAS and Caffeine from wastewater: Light reactor (Algal-bacterial consortium) vs Dark reactor (bacterial consortium).Science of the Total Environment, Elsevier, v 707, 135987 . (IF: 7.963; Quartile: Q1)
• Pandey, A., Katam, K., Joseph, P., Soda, S., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2020). Micropollutant Removal from Laundry Wastewater in Algal-Activated Sludge Systems: Microbial Studies. Water Air Soil Pollution, Springer Nature, 231, 374. (IF: 2.520; Quartile: Q2)

• Katam, K., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2019). Simultaneous treatment of domestic wastewater and bio-lipid synthesis using immobilized and suspended cultures of microalgae and activated sludge. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Korean Society of Industrial Engineering Chemistry (Elsevier), v 69, 295-303. (IF: 6.064; Quartile: Q1)
• Katam, K., Shimizu, T., Bhattacharyya, D., & Soda, S. (2019). Nutrient, Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulfonate, and Caffeine Removal from Synthetic Wastewater with an Algal-bacterial Culture and an Activated Sludge Culture in Batch Mode. Japanese Journal of Water Treatment Biology, Japanese Society of Water Treatment Biology, v 55, 1 – 9.

• Katam, K., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2018). Comparative study on treatment of kitchen wastewater using a mixed microalgal culture and an aerobic bacterial culture: kinetic evaluation and FAME analysis. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Springer Nature, v 25, n21, 20732-20742. (IF: 4.223; Quartile: Q1)
• Katam, K., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2018). Biodegradation of commercial laundry and dishwashing detergents under aerobic and anaerobic conditions: a kinetic evaluation. Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste, American Society of Civil Engineers, v 22, n1, 04017023. (IF: 1.44; Quartile: Q2)
• Katam, K., Maetani, K., Shimizu, T., Nakajima, J., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2018). Study of Aerobic Biodegradation of Surfactants and Fluorescent Whitening Agents in Detergents of a Few Selected Asian Countries (India, Indonesia, Japan, and Thailand). Journal of Water and Environment Technology, Japan Society on Water Environment, v 16, n 1, 18-29.
• Babu, A., Katam, K., Gundupalli, M. P., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2018). Nutrient removal from wastewater using microalgae: A kinetic evaluation and lipid analysis.Water Environment Research, Water Environment Federation, v 90, n 6, 520-529. (IF: 1.946; Quartile: Q3)

• Katam, K., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2017). Biodegradation of laundry wastewater under aerobic and anaerobic conditions: a kinetic evaluation. Water Environment Research, Water Environment Federation, v 89, n 12, 2071-2077. (IF: 1.946; Quartile: Q3)

International Conference Presentation

• Katam, K., Tiwari, Y., Shimizu, T., Soda, S., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2020). Start-up of a Trickling Photo-bioreactor Seeded with Activated Sludge and Microalgae for Domestic Wastewater Treatment. Second ASCE India Conference on “Challenges of Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructure Development in Emerging Economies” (CRSIDE2020), Kolkata, India, March 2-4, 2020.

• Katam, K., Shimizu, T., Soda, S., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2019). Effect of hydraulic retention time on the performance of algae-bacteria based trickling photobioreactor in removing organic micropollutants and nutrients from domestic wastewater. IWA Conference on Algal Technologies and Stabilization Ponds for Wastewater Treatment and Resource Recovery (IWAlgae2019) , University of Valladolid, Spain, July 1 -2, 2019.

• Katam, K., Shimizu, T., Bhattacharyya, D., & Soda, S. (2018). Removal of Linear Alkyl-benzene Sulphonate and Caffeine from Domestic Wastewater in Trickling Filters Using Algal-bacterial Consortia. International Conference on Green Energy and Environment Engineering , Kitahiroshima, Japan, August 27-29, 2018.
• Katam, K., Gundupalli, M. P., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2018). Production of biofuel from a kitchen wastewater by using a mixed culture of diatoms: Treatment, kinetic evaluation, and lipid analysis. Urbanization Challenges in Emerging Economies: Energy and Water Infrastructure; Transportation Infrastructure; and Planning and Financing , 278 -287, New Delhi, India, December 12–14, 2017.

Conference Proceedings

• Katam, K., Saisriyoot, M., Roddecha, S., Pornwongthong, P., and Sriariyanun, M. (2023). Conversion of lignocellulose residue obtained from biorefinery stream to electricity by microbial fuel cell. E3S Web Conf., 428, 01011. (https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202342801011)
• Buakeaw, E., Jose, D., Rodiahwati, W., Gundupalli, M. P., Katam, K., Tantatotai, P., Sriariyanun, M., and Cheenkachorn, K. (2023). Optimization of Organosolv Pretreatment with Acid Catalyst to Enhance Enzymatic Saccharification of Corn Husk. E3S Web Conf., 428, 01009. (https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202342801009)
• Kakara, M., Dasari, S., Gundupalli, M. P., Kangsadan, T., and Katam. K. (2023). Understanding the Environmental Distribution and Potential Health Risks of Pollutants from Deodorant Products: A Review. E3S Web Conf., 428, 02015. (https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202342802015)
• Golakoti, K. S., Maloth, S., Kumara, M. K., Sabavath, M. K., Areeya, S., Bhattacharyya, D., and Katam. K. (2023). Pharmaceuticals and Agro-Chemicals in Groundwater of Hyderabad, India. E3S Web Conf., 428, 02016. (https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202342802016)
• Duddupudi, S. K., Penmetsa, S. V., Kumara, M. K., Vasili, N. S. R., Bhattacharyya, D., and Katam, K. (2023). Non-Target Screening Of Organic Micropollutants In Durgam Cheruvu Lake, India. Proceedings of the 9th World Congress on New Technologies (NewTech’23), Brunel University, London, United Kingdom – August 09-11, 2023. (DOI: 10.11159/icepr23.147)
• Maganti, M. S., Gourishetty, V. V., Katam, K. (2023). Analysis of Indoor and Outdoor Noise Quality at the University – A Case Study. Proceedings of the 9th World Congress on New Technologies (NewTech’23), Brunel University, London, United Kingdom – August 09-11, 2023. (DOI: 10.11159/icepr23.145)
• Katam, K., Ananthula, R., Anumala, S., Sriariyanun, M., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2022). The impact of light intensity and wavelength on the performance of algal-bacterial culture treating domestic wastewater. E3S Web of Conferences (Vol. 355, p. 02003). EDP Sciences.

• Katam, K., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2018). Comparing and evaluating the kinetics of mixed micro-algal system with aerobic bacterial system in treating kitchen wastewater: Biodiesel production. The European Conference on Sustainability, Energy & the Environment , Brighton, UK, July 7-9, 2017.
• Modi, P., Katam, K., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2018). Aerobic Biological Treatment of Pesticide Industry Effluent: A Kinetic Evaluation. Urbanization Challenges in Emerging Economies: Energy and Water Infrastructure; Transportation Infrastructure; and Planning and Financing , 278 -287.

Book Chapters

• Katam, K., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2022). Occurrence, fate, and persistence of per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in drinking water treatment systems. In Current Developments in Biotechnology and Bioengineering (pp. 247-283). Elsevier.
• Gundupalli, M.P., Katam, K., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2017). Treatment of Sugarmill Effluent and Simultaneous Production of Ethanol: Effect of pH and Quantity of Seed Sludge. International Conference on Biotechnology & Bioengineering – Trends. Chapter 37. ISBN 978 –93 –85518 –10-2

Media coverage

• 1) IIT Hyderabad Develop Algae-Based Sewage Treatment Systems, Business World Education.
• 2) IIT-H developing systems for water treatment, biodiesel. India Today. https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/iit-h-developing-systems-for-water-treatment-biodiesel-1630884-2019-12-23

• Dr. Keerthi Katam is presently working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, at École Centrale School of Engineering, Mahindra University.

Research (6 years – August 2015 to May 2021)

• Research Scholar in IIT Hyderabad, India.
• Visiting Research scholar at Graduate school of Life science, Ritsumeikan University, Otsu, Shiga, Japan.

Research areas:

• Indoor Environment Quality
• Water, Air, & Soil pollution
• Wastewater treatment
• Waste management
• Environmental impact assessment
• Microalgae biofuels and nutraceuticals
• Photobioreactors
• Biofuel production
• Biological wastewater treatment (algae-activated sludge)
• Decentralized wastewater treatment
• Anaerobic digestion (solid waste management)
• Emerging micropollutants analysis

Awards

• Doctoral Research Fellowship at Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad from Ministry of Human Resources & Development.
• Recipient of GATE-MHRD (Ministry of Human Resources & Development) Scholarship at IIT Hyderabad.
• Recipient of JASSO (Japan Student Services Organization) Scholarship at Ritsumeikan University, Japan.
• Research excellence award (2018) by IIT Hyderabad for publishing two Scopus index journals in a year.
• Research excellence award (2021) by IIT Hyderabad for publishing three Scopus index journals in a year.