People

Assistant Lecturer in Food Science & Environmental Health

Dr. Abhrajyoti Tarafdar serves as an assistant lecturer in Environmental Health and Safety Management at the School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin (City campus). He obtained a Bachelor of Technology degree in Biotechnology from West Bengal University of Technology, India, in 2011, followed by a Master of Technology in Environmental Science and Technology from the National Institute of Technology, Durgapur, India, in 2013. His doctoral research, completed in 2018 at the Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad, focused on Environmental Profiling and Advanced Biodegradation Studies of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Dr. Abhrajyoti's extensive professional background in environmental research includes serving as a former Research Scientist at the School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, University College Dublin, Ireland, from 2023 to 2024. There, he delved into the issue of microplastics within medical procedures, placing particular emphasis on the potential for contamination during intravenous (IV) fluid infusions.

Additionally, he served as a Research Professor at Korea University in Seoul, South Korea, from 2018 to 2023, focusing on the interaction between microbes and microplastics, as well as studying the ecotoxicological effects of weathered and biodegraded plastic leachates. His research was pioneering, covering various facets of microplastics such as biodegradation, biofilm formation, detection, quantification, and leachate toxicity. Dr. Abhrajyoti has made several original contributions to the field, including revealing the role of UV stabilizers in enhancing biofilm development on microplastics and developing a novel volumetric method to quantify microplastics in any matrix. One of his studies conducted in South Korea focused on the heightened cancer risk associated with the dust on children's playgrounds with poured rubber surfaces, attracting considerable media coverage.

Currently, his ongoing research aims to delve into the intricate relationships between microorganisms and plastic waste, with a particular focus on the development of plastisphere biofilms. His research interests extend across disciplines and encompass health risk assessment of emerging organic contaminants and the biodegradation of hazardous pollutants.