Publications

Research Article

2025

Biswas, B.*, Amiri, A., Thombare, B.R., Uddin, R., Grathoff, G., Naidu, R., Warr, L.N.*, 2025. Mechanochemically activated halloysite nanotube-rich kaolin clay as a carrier for slow-release phosphate fertilizer. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. 13, 8711–8721. IF: 7.3.

Naidu, R.*, Biswas, B., Nuruzzaman, M., Singh, B.K., 2025. Bioremediation of heavy metal(loid)s in agricultural soils and crops. Nat. Rev. Bioeng. doi: 10.1038/s44222-025-00345-y. 1-14. IF: 37.6.

Islam, M.R., Naidu, R., Biswas, B.* 2025. Kaolin clay-based diets for managing livestock’s health and methane emission problem. Appl. Clay Sci.276, 107891. IF: 5.8.

Deb, A.K., Hassan, M., Biswas, B., Naidu, R., Xi, Y., Rahman, M.M. 2025. Functionalization of halloysite nanotubes as remediation agents for organic and inorganic contaminants: Insights into synthesis routes, removal techniques, and eco-friendly perspectives. Sci. Total Environ. 989, 179771. IF: 8.0.

Islam, M.R., Naidu, R., Biswas, B.* 2025. Natural kaolin minerals with varying iron contents reduced cattle’s enteric methane generation in vitro. Appl. Geochem. 189, 106459. IF: 3.5.

Davoodi, S., Biswas, B.*, Naidu, R.* 2025. Carbon capture efficiency of mechanically activated Australian halloysite-rich kaolin with varying iron impurities, and its potential reuse for removing dyes from water. Minerals. 15, 399. IF: 2.2.

Hosen, Z., Islam, M.R., Naidu, R., Biswas, B.* 2025. ‘Geophagy’ and clay Minerals: Influencing ruminal microbial fermentation for methane mitigation. Microorganisms. 13, 866. IF: 4.1.

2024

Biswas, B.*, Grathoff, G., Naidu, R., Warr, L.N.* 2024. The multidisciplinary science of applied clay research: A 2021–2023 bibliographic analysis. Appl. Clay Sci. 258, 107471. IF: 5.8.

Deb, A.K., Rahman, M.M., Biswas, B., Xi, Y., Islam, M.R., Hassan, M., Naidu, R. 2024. Mesoporous architectural magnetic halloysite-polymer beads for removing toxic streptomycin from water: A sustainable remediation approach. Groundw. Sustain. Dev. 26, 101258. IF: 5.9.

Islam, M.R., Biswas, B., Naidu, R. 2024. CO₂ Capture Using Zeolite Synthesized from Coal Fly Ash and Its Subsequent Utilization for Fire Retardation and Dye Removal. ACS Sustain. Resour. Manag. 1, 799–809. IF: NA.

Liu, Y., Biswas, B., Hassan, M., Naidu, R. 2024. Green Adsorbents for Environmental Remediation: Synthesis Methods, Ecotoxicity, and Reusability Prospects. Process 12, 1195. IF: 3.5.

Liu, Y., Biswas, B., Naidu, R. 2024. Novel Adsorbents for Environmental Remediation. Process 12, 670. IF: 3.5.

2023

Khodabakhshloo, N., Biswas, B.* 2023. Adsorption of aqueous perfluorooctane sulfonate by raw and oleylamine-modified Iranian diatomite and zeolite: Material and application insight. Appl. Clay Sci. 244, 107101. IF: 5.8.

Biswas, B.*, Islam, M.R., Deb, A.K., Greenaway, A., Warr, L.N., Naidu, R.* 2023. Understanding Iron Impurities in Australian Kaolin and Their Effect on Acid and Heat Activation Processes of Clay. ACS Omega 8, 5533–5544. IF: 3.7.

2022–Past

Deb, A.K., Biswas, B., Rahman, M.M., Xi, Y., Paul, S.K., Naidu, R. 2022. Magnetite Nanoparticles Loaded into Halloysite Nanotubes for Arsenic(V) Removal from Water. ACS Appl. Nano Mat. 5, 12063–12076. IF: 5.3.

Deb, A.K., Biswas, B., Naidu, R., Rahman, M.M. 2022. Mechanistic insights of hexavalent chromium remediation by halloysite-supported copper nanoclusters. J. Hazard. Mat. 421, 126812. IF: 12.2.

Biswas, B.*, Naidu, R. 2021. Highly stable and nontoxic lanthanum-treated activated palygorskite for the removal of lake water phosphorus. Process 9, 1960.

Deb, A.K., Biswas, B., Goswami, N., Hilder, E.F., Naidu, R., Rahman, M.M. 2021. Synthesis of environmentally benign ultra-small copper nanoclusters-halloysite composites and their catalytic performance on contrasting azo dyes. Appl. Surf. Sci. 546, 149122. IF: 6.7.

Khodabakhshloo, N., Biswas, B.*, Moore, F.*, Du, J., Naidu, R. 2021. Organically functionalized bentonite for the removal of perfluorooctane sulfonate, phenanthrene and copper mixtures from wastewater. Appl. Clay Sci. 200, 105883. IF: 5.8.

Khodabakhshloo, N.*, Biswas, B., Moore, F., Du, J., Wijayawardena, A., Arabzadeh, M. 2021. Surface dispersal, emission source and human health risk assessment of heavy metal(loid)s in an active gas field, Southern Iran. Research Square Pre-print. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-442451/v1

Naidu, R.*, Biswas, B., Willett, I.R., Cribb, J., Kumar Singh, B., Paul Nathanail, C., Coulon, F., Semple, K.T., Jones, K.C., Barclay, A., John Aitken, R. 2021. Chemical pollution: A growing peril and potential catastrophic risk to humanity. Environ. Int. 156, 106616. IF: 11.8.

Uz-Zaman, K.A., Biswas, B., Rahman, M.M., Naidu, R. 2021. Smectite-supported chain of iron nanoparticle beads for efficient clean-up of arsenate contaminated water. J. Hazard. Mater. 407, 124396. IF: 12.2.

Biswas, B., Labille, J., Prelot, B. 2020. Clays and modified clays in remediating environmental pollutants. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 27, 38381–38383. IF: 5.8.

Biswas, B.*, Juhasz, A.L., Mahmudur Rahman, M., Naidu, R. 2020. Modified clays alter diversity and respiration profile of microorganisms in long-term hydrocarbon and metal co-contaminated soil. Microb. Biotechnol. 13, 522–534. IF: 5.7.

Naidu, R., Nadebaum, P., Fang, C., Cousins, I., Pennell, K., Conder, J., Newell, C.J., Longpré, D., Warner, S., Crosbie, N.D., Surapaneni, A., Bekele, D., Spiese, R., Bradshaw, T., Slee, D., Liu, Y., Qi, F., Mallavarapu, M., Duan, L., McLeod, L., Bowman, M., Richmond, B., Srivastava, P., Chadalavada, S., Umeh, A., Biswas, B., Barclay, A., Simon, J., Nathanail, P. 2020. Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): Current status and research needs. Environ. Technol. Innov. 19, 100915. IF: 7.1.

Biswas, B.*, Warr, L.N., Hilder, E.F., Goswami, N., Rahman, M.M., Churchman, J.G., Vasilev, K., Pan, G., Naidu, R.* 2019. Biocompatible functionalisation of nanoclays for improved environmental remediation. Chem. Soc. Rev. 48, 3740–3770. IF: 46.2.

España, V.A.A., Sarkar, B., Biswas, B., Rusmin, R., Naidu, R. 2019. Environmental applications of thermally modified and acid activated clay minerals: Current status of the art. Environ. Technol. Innov. 13, 383–397. IF: 7.1.

Goswami, N., Bright, R., Visalakshan, R.M., Biswas, B., Zilm, P., Vasilev, K. 2019. Core-in-cage structure regulated properties of ultra-small gold nanoparticles. Nanoscale Adv. 1, 2356–2364. IF: 4.7.

Goswami, N.ǂ, Biswas, B.ǂ, Naidu, R., Vasilev, K. 2019. Spatially Localized Synthesis of Metal Nanoclusters on Clay Nanotubes and Their Catalytic Performance. ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 7, 18350–18358 (joint first-authored). IF: 7.3.

Biswas, B.*, Sarkar, B., Faustorilla, M.V., Naidu, R. 2018. Effect of surface-tailored biocompatible organoclay on the bioavailability and mineralization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in long-term contaminated soil. Environ. Technol. Innov. 10, 152–161. IF: 7.1.

Biswas, B., Qi, F., Biswas, J.K., Wijayawardena, A., Khan, M.A.I., Naidu, R. 2018. The fate of chemical pollutants with soil properties and processes in the climate change paradigm—a review. Soil Syst. 2, 1–20. IF: 2.8.

Biswas, J.K., Banerjee, A., Rai, M., Naidu, R., Biswas, B., Vithanage, M., Dash, M.C., Sarkar, S.K., Meers, E. 2018. Potential application of selected metal resistant phosphate solubilizing bacteria isolated from the gut of earthworm (Metaphire posthuma) in plant growth promotion. Geoderma 330, 117–124. IF: 6.1.

Khan, M.A.I., Biswas, B., Smith, E., Mahmud, S.A., Hasan, N.A., Khan, M.A.W., Naidu, R., Megharaj, M. 2018. Microbial diversity changes with rhizosphere and hydrocarbons in contrasting soils. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. 156, 434–442. IF: 6.8.

Khan, M.A.I., Biswas, B., Smith, E., Naidu, R., Megharaj, M. 2018. Toxicity assessment of fresh and weathered petroleum hydrocarbons in contaminated soil – a review. Chemosphere 212, 755–767. IF: 8.1.

Nirola, R., Biswas, B., Megharaj, M., Subramanian, A., Thavamani, P., Aryal, R., Saint, C. 2018. Assessment of chromium hyper-accumulative behaviour using biochemical analytical techniques of greenhouse cultivated Sonchus asper on tannery waste dump site soils. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 25, 26992–26999. IF: 5.8.

Biswas, B.*, Sarkar, B.*, Naidu, R.* 2017. Bacterial mineralization of phenanthrene on thermally activated palygorskite: A 14C radiotracer study. Sci. Total Environ. 579, 709–717. IF: 8.0.

Biswas, B.*, Sarkar, B.*, Rusmin, R.*, Naidu, R.* 2017. Mild acid and alkali treated clay minerals enhance bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in long-term contaminated soil: A 14C-tracer study. Environ. Pollut. 223, 255–265. IF: 8.9.

Biswas, B.*, Sarkar, B.*, McClure, S.*, Naidu, R.* 2017. Modified osmium tracer technique enables precise microscopic delineation of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in clay aggregates. Environ. Technol. Innov. 7, 12–20. IF: 7.1.

Biswas, B., Chakraborty, A., Sarkar, B., Naidu, R. 2017. Structural changes in smectite due to interaction with a biosurfactant-producing bacterium Pseudoxanthomonas kaohsiungensis. Appl. Clay Sci. 136, 51–57. IF: 5.8.

Singh, M., Sarkar, B., Biswas, B., Bolan, N.S., Churchman, G.J. 2017. Relationship between soil clay mineralogy and carbon protection capacity as influenced by temperature and moisture. Soil Biol. Biochem. 109, 95–106. IF: 9.7.

Biswas, B.*, Sarkar, B.*, Naidu, R.* 2016. Influence of thermally modified palygorskite on the viability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria. Appl. Clay Sci. 134, 153–160. IF: 5.8.

Biswas, B.*, Sarkar, B.*, Mandal, A., Naidu, R.* 2016. Specific adsorption of cadmium on surface-engineered biocompatible organoclay under metal-phenanthrene mixed-contamination. Water Res. 104, 119–127. IF: 12.8.

Mandal, A.ǂ, Biswas, B.ǂ, Sarkar, B., Patra, A.K., Naidu, R. 2016. Surface tailored organobentonite enhances bacterial proliferation and phenanthrene biodegradation under cadmium co-contamination. Sci. Total Environ. 550, 611–618 (ǂ joint first author). IF: 8.0.

Rusmin, R., Sarkar, B., Biswas, B., Churchman, J., Liu, Y., Naidu, R. 2016. Structural, electrokinetic and surface properties of activated palygorskite for environmental application. Appl. Clay Sci. 134, 95–102. IF: 5.8.

Sarkar, B., Choi, H.L., Zhu, K., Mandal, A., Biswas, B., Suresh, A. 2016. Monitoring of soil biochemical quality parameters under greenhouse spinach cultivation through animal waste recycling. Chem. Ecol. 32, 407–418. IF: 2.3.

Singh, M., Sarkar, B., Biswas, B., Churchman, J., Bolan, N.S. 2016. Adsorption-desorption behavior of dissolved organic carbon by soil clay fractions of varying mineralogy. Geoderma 280, 47–56. IF: 6.1.

Biswas, B., Sarkar, B., Rusmin, R., Naidu, R.* 2015. Bioremediation of PAHs and VOCs: Advances in clay mineral-microbial interaction. Environ. Int. 85, 168–181. IF: 11.8.

Biswas, B., Sarkar, B., Mandal, A., Naidu, R. 2015. Heavy metal-immobilizing organoclay facilitates polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biodegradation in mixed-contaminated soil. J. Hazard. Mater. 298, 129–137. IF: 12.2.

Sarower, M. G., Hasanuzzaman, A. F. M., Biswas, B., Abe, H. 2012. Taste producing components in fish and fisheries products: A review. Int. J. Food Ferment. Technol. 2, 113–121. IF: N/A.

Book Chapter

Biswas, B., 2025. Clay Minerals for Environmental and Agricultural Applications: Link to UN SDGs and Net Zero Goals. In:Trevor R.F., and Glen E.W. (Ed.), The Humboldt Vision: integrating fundamentals with applied research, pp 26–28.

Bidast, S., Paul, S.K., Naidu, R., Biswas, B.* 2025. Clay-based additives for the in-situ bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated agricultural soils. In: Naidu, R. (Ed.), Contaminants in agricultural soils: Challenges and solutions. Accepted.

Naidu, R., Biswas, B. 2023. Introduction to inorganic contaminants and radionuclides: Global issues and challenges, Inorganic Contaminants and Radionuclides. Elsevier, pp. 1-10.

Sanderson, P., Bahar, M.M., Biswas, B., Naidu, R. 2023. Remediation of metals and organic contaminants in soil, Encyclopedia of Soils in the Environment, Second Edition. Elsevier, pp. V3-333. Citation: 2.

Biswas, B.*, Nirola, R., Biswas, J.K., Pereg, L., Willett, I.R., Naidu, R. 2019. Environmental Microbial Health Under Changing Climates: State, Implication and Initiatives for High-Performance Soils. In: Lal, R., Francaviglia, R. (eds), Sustainable Agriculture Reviews, 29, 1-32.

Sarkar, S., Sarkar, B., Basak, B.B., Mandal, S., Biswas, B., Srivastava, P. 2017. Soil mineralogical perspective on immobilization/mobilization of heavy metals, Adaptive Soil Management: From Theory to Practices. Springer Singapore, pp. 89-102.

Conference proceeding and abstracts

Biswas, B., Amiri, A., and Warr, L.N. 2025. Mechanical activation of halloysite-rich kaolin for slow-release phosphate fertiliser. International Clay Conference, Dublin, Ireland, 13-18 July 2025.

Islam, M.R., Naidu, R., Biswas, B. 2025. Natural kaolin minerals with varying iron contents reduced cattle’s enteric methane generation. International Clay Conference, Dublin, Ireland, 13-18 July 2025.

Hosen, Z., Islam, R., Naidu, R., Biswas, B. 2025. Potential of kaolin clay in reducing methanogenic microbial activity in cattle, International Clay Conference, Dublin, Ireland, 13-18 July 2025.

Biswas, B., Warr, L.N., and Naidu, R. 2025. An update on the multidisciplinary science of applied clay research: A 2023–2025 bibliographic analysis. International Clay Conference, Dublin, Ireland, 13-18 July 2025.

Davoodi, S., Biswas, B., Naidu, R. 2024. The mechanochemical effect of ball milling on various halloysite nanotubes and their carbon capture performance. CleanUp 2024, Adelaide, Australia.

Hosen, Z., Islam, M.R., Naidu, R., Biswas, B. 2024. Exploring the influences of clay mineral on rumen ecosystem. CleanUp 2024, Adelaide, Australia.

Islam, M.R., Naidu, R., Biswas, B. 2024. Utilising Australian clay minerals to combat methane emission from cattle burps. CleanUp 2024, Adelaide, Australia.

Biswas, B., Naidu, R., Warr, L.N. 2023. Iron-rich and poor Australian kaolin for various adsorbents development. Euroclay, Bari, Italy.

Biswas, B., Sarkar, B., Juhasz, A.L., Rahman, M.M., Naidu, R. 2017. Microbe-clay mineral synergy for environmental remediation: Microscopic, metabolic and metagenomic approaches. ASM Microbe, New Orleans, USA.

Biswas, B., Sarkar, B., Rahman, M.M., Naidu, R. 2017. Surface-tailored organoclays alter bacterial community and metabolic activity in hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. Living Clays: From Nano-scale Interactions to Incorporation in Everyday Life, Edmonton, Canada.

Sarkar, B., Rusmin, R., Biswas, B., Liu, E. 2016. Cross-discipline fertilisation of clay science and nanotechnology for environmental remediation. 53rd Annual Meeting of the Clay Minerals Society: Resurgent Clays, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Mandal, A., Sarkar, B., Biswas, B., Rahman, M.M., Naidu, R. 2014. Modified bentonite assisted bioremediation of PAHs in mixed contaminated condition: Characterisation of modified clays. 20th World Congress of Soil Science, Jeju, South Korea.

Zure, M., Biswas, B., Murthy, R.R.G., Probian, C., Harder, J. 2013. Diversity of Rhodopirellula spp. in coastal sediments. Annual Conference of the Association for General and Applied Microbiology (VAAM), in collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Society for Microbiology (KNVM), Bremen, Germany.

Commissioning reports

  1. Listed contributing author. Global Environment Outlook 2025. Chapter: Land and Soils. UNEP.
  2. Lead author: Naidu, R. & Biswas, B. Other authors: Chen, Z.-S., Jit, J., Rahman, M.M., Duan, L., Kim, J., Lee, K., Phenrat, T., Khan, N. & Wijayawardena, A. 2021. Status of Soil Pollution in Asia and the Pacific. Global Assessment of Soil Pollution. UNEP and FAO. https://www.fao.org/3/cb4894en/online/src/html/chapter-06-1.html [Citation 122, policy citation 6, News 14, Blog 3, thousands social and Wikipedia mentions]

Magazine article

  1. Biswas, B.*, Islam, M.R., Hosen, M.Z., Naidu, R. (2024): Cattle can battle methane burps using edible clay. Remediation Australasia, 21: 7–10. 10.13140/RG.2.2.14268.65923

Patents

  1. Biswas, B. and Naidu, R. Clay spread or layer. Application no. 2024903892, IP Australia.
  2. Biswas, B. and Naidu, R. Modified clay materials and uses thereof. Published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). WO2024/234038 A1.
  3. Biswas, B. and Naidu, R. Modified clay sorbents. Application no. 2021389670, IP Australia.

Industry In-confidence report

Biswas, B. et al. submitted 12 in-confidence reports as the lead investigator to the industry. The theme: valorisation of clay minerals in the area of cattle feed, fertiliser and greenhouse gas adsorbent.

Media and News Highlights

  1. Clay reduces methane in cow burps by 30%, https://newatlas.com/environment/cow-burps-methane-clay/
  2. Multi-tasking clays can clean soil contamination, https://phys.org/news/2018-03-multi-tasking-clays-soil-contamination.html
  3. Climate change threatens to expose soil pollutants, https://www.aweimagazine.com/press-release/climate-change-threatens-to-expose-deadly-soil-contaminants

Key * = Corresponding author; Bold = the applicant.