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Dr. AL. Ramanathan,

Professor,

Environmental Geology, HYDROGEOCHEMISTRY, BIOGEOCHEMISTRY  &
GLACIOLOGY LABORATORY

started his research career by focusing on various aspects of river basin geochemistry (water quality & quantity, river discharge, sediment load, sediment characteristics (physico-chemical) estimation of erosion rates and accumulation of sediments, pollution). Later, he started his research program on coastal ecosystem namely estuaries, mangroves and coral reefs Viz., Pichavaram, Bhitarkanika, Sundarban and Gulf of Mannar and Kutch focusing on   biogeochemical aspects. He has also worked on several projects of sheer importance such as :
 Hydro-geochemistry of ground waters (inland and coastal) addressing salinity, fluoride, SGD, Pollution etc. (Including De- fluoridation techniques (phyto, nano etc., )
Land use changes and over exploitation of ground water due to Neyveli lignite mining (EIA studies); Natural Hazards, Like Tsunami impacts on coastal ecosystem & ground water)

 

Surface and ground

water interaction (quality ) in coastal areas and flood plains  (Ganges and Yamuna)

 

The Effect of Climate Change on Indian Glaciers (case study from large glacier like Gangotri (Uttaranchal) and Small glaciers like Chhota Shigri, Patchio  (Himachal Pradesh)

 

The effect of landfills on the groundwater quality and GHGs emission  in Delhi
 

 

Arsenic problem and Fluoride remediation (Tamilnadu) and in various parts of India (UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Manipur)
 

Apart from Hydrogeochemistry and Biogeochemistry, Prof. Ramanathan has been working intensively on Dynamics of Himalayan Glaciers (such as mass balance, energy balance, hydrology and hydrogeochemistry ). His work is well recognized throughout the world.

 

Prof. Ramanathan has published more than seventy five  papers in various peer reviewed  journals such as (Journal of Glaciology, J. Hydrology, Hydrological processes, Water resources, Estuarine coastal and shelf Sciences, Chemosphere, Bioresource Technology, Geoderma etc). He has published seven books (Springer, Balkema, etc., ) and a number of papers have been published as book chapters. Prof. Ramanathan has conducted eleven International /National workshop /training programme /conferences on various theme of sheer importance. His work has been well supported by various national (UGC, DST, MoEF, MoWR etc) and international funding organization (SIDA, IFS, FORMAS, JAMSTEC, Indo-Australia fund-AIMS). He has running/completed  collaborative projects with institutions from  France, Sweden, Australia and Russia. Fifteen PhDs and more than fifteen M.Phil. (have been completed under his supervision and are well placed in India and abroad.

Environmental Geology, HYDROGEOCHEMISTRY, BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
& GLACIOLOGY LABORATORY

School of Environmental Sciences,

Jawaharlal Nehru University,

New Delhi-110 067

INDIA

 

PUBLICATIONS

    1. Jay Krishna Thakur, Rinku Kumari Thakur, AL Ramanathan, Manish Kumar and Sudhir Kumar Singh  (2010) Arsenic Contamination of Groundwater in Nepal—An Overview Water 2011, 3, 1-20; doi:10.3390/w3010001
    2. Rajesh Kumar Ranjan, Joyanto Routh, AL. Ramanathan (2010) Bulk organic matter characteristics in the Pichavaram mangrove – estuarine complex, south-eastern India   Applied Geochemistry, Volume 25, Issue 8, August 2010, Pages 1176-1186.
    3. Manish Kumar, Pankaj Kumar, A.L. Ramanathan, Prosun Bhattacharya, Roger Thunvik, Umesh K. Singh, M. Tsujimura, Ondra Sracek (2010) Arsenic enrichment in groundwater in the middle Gangetic Plain of Ghazipur District in Uttar Pradesh,India   Journal of Geochemical Exploration, Volume 105, Issue 3, June 2010, Pages 83-94.
    4. Jayalakshmi Devi Oinam, AL. Ramanathan, Anurag Linda and Gurmeet Singh (2010) A study of arsenic, iron and other dissolved ion variations in the groundwater of Bishnupur District, Manipur, India, Environ Earth Sci., DOI 10.1007/s12665-010-0607-2.
    5. Kumar, Goutam, AL. Ramanathan, K. Rajkumar, (2010) Textural characteristics of the surface sediments of a Tropical mangrove ecosystem Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat, India. Indian Journal of Marine Sciences, Vol.39 (3) 415-422.
    6. Joyce Njenga J.W , AL. Ramanathan and V. Subramainan ( 2009) Partitioning of heavy metals in the sediments of Lake Naivasha, Kenya" Chemical Speciation and Bioavailability, Volume 21, Number 1, March 2009 , Issue 8, Pages 41-48.
    7. Manju Rawat, AL. Ramanathan, V. Subramanian (2009) Quantification and distribution of heavy metals from small-scale industrial areas of Kanpur city, India (2009) Journal of Hazardous Materials, Volume 172, Issues 2-3, Pages 1145-1149.
    8. Ramanathan, AL.; Rajkumar, K.; Majumdar, Jayjit; Singh, Gurmeet; Behera, P.N.; Santra, S C; Chidambaram, S (2009) Textural characteristics of the surface sediments of a tropical mangrove Sundarban ecosystem India. Indian Jour Marine Sciences ,Vol 38(4)397-403
    9. M. Bala Krishna Prasad, AL. Ramanathan., 2010. Characterization of phosphorus fractions in the sediments of a tropical intertidal mangrove ecosystem, Wetlands Ecology Management, 18:165–175
    10. Pankaj Kumar., Manish Kumar A. L. Ramanathan., Maki Tsujimura. 2010. Tracing the factors responsible for arsenic enrichment in groundwater of the middle Gangetic Plain, India: a source identification perspective, Environ Geochem Health 32:129–146
    11. Rajesh Kumar Ranjan, AL. Ramanathan, Rita Chauhan and Gurmeet Singh (2010) Phosphorus distribution in sediments of the Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem, South-East Coast of India. Environmental Earth Sciences Pages 389-411(DOI: 10.1007/s12665-010-0659-3).
    12.  S. Chidambaram., AL. Ramanathan., M. V. Prasanna.,  U.Karmegam., V. Dheivanayagi.,  R. Ramesh., G. Johnsonbabu., B. Premchander., S. Manikandan., (2009). Study on the hydrogeochemical characteristics in groundwater, post- and pre-tsunami scenario, from Portnova to Pumpuhar, southeast coast of India..Environ Monit Assessment 169(1-4):553-68.
    13.  Anshumali, Ramanathan A.L., Singh G, Ranjan RK, and Tripathi P (2009).  Chemodynamics of trace metal fractions in surface sediments of the Pandoh Lake, Lesser Himalaya, India. Environmental Geology. 57:1865–1879
    14.  Ramanathan AL., Rajkumar K,  Majumdar Jayjit, Singh G., Behera P.N., Santra S.C.  S.Chidambaram (2009) Textural Characteristics of the Surface Sediments of a Tropical Mangrove Ecosystem Sundarban India.  Indian Journal of Marine Science 38(4) 397-403.
    15. M. Rawat, AL Ramanathan, V. Subramanian (2009): Quantification and distribution of heavy metals from small-scale industrial areas of Kanpur city, India. Elsevier Journal, Journal of Hazardous Materials. 172: 1145-1149.
    16. S. Chidambaram, Prsanna MV, Ramanathan AL., Vasu K, Hameed S. Warrier UK, Manivannan R.,  Srinivasmurthy K  and Ramesh R. (2009). Stable Isotopic signature in the precipitation of 2006 South West Monsoon of Tamil Nadu, Current Science Vol 96 No-9, pp1224-, 1229.
    17. Ranjan RK, Ramanathan AL and Singh G (2008). Evaluation of geochemical impact of tsunami on Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem, southeast coast of India. Environmental Geology, 55(3) 687-697.
    18. Ranjan RK, Ramanathan AL and Singh G, Chidambram S 2008. Heavy Metal enrichments due to tsunami in Pichavaram Mangroves sediments. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 147:389–411.
    19. S. Chidambaram, Prsanna MV, Ramanathan AL., Vasu K Hameed S. Warrier UK, Srinivasmurthy K. , Manivannan R.,  Tirumalesh , P Anandhanand  G.Johnsonbabu (2009). A study on the factors affecting the stable isotopic composition in the precipitation of Tamil Nadu. Hydrological Processes. Hydrological Processes Volume 23, Issue 12, pages 1792–1800,
    20. Kumar M., Sharma B., Ramanathan AL., Rao MS.  and Kumar B.  (2009) “Nutrient chemistry and salinity mapping of the Delhi aquifer, India: source identification perspective” Environmental Geology, 56(6) 1171-1181.
    21. Anshumali and Ramanathan AL. (2008). Physical Fractionation of trace metals in surface sediments of the lake Pandoh, Lesser Himalayas, India In: Choubey V.K., Singh R.D., Singh O., Sharma M.K., (Editors), Proceeding of National Seminar on “Conservation and Restoration of Lakes (CAROL, 2008), Nagpur, India, 257-266.
    22.  Kumar M., Ramanathan AL. and Keshari A.K. (2008). Understanding the extent of Interaction between surface and ground water through major ion chemistry and multivariate Statistical techniques. Hydrological processes 23(2):297-310
    23.  Prasad, M.B.K. and Ramanathan, AL. (2008). Distribution of Rare Earth Elements in the Pichavaram Mangrove sediments of Southeast Coast of India. Journal of Coastal Research 24 (1): 126-134pp.
    24.  Prasad, M.B.K and Ramanathan. AL. (2008) Sedimentary dynamics in a tropical estuarine mangrove ecosystem nutrient ,. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science,8060–66.
    25. Chauhan, R. Ramanathan AL. and Adhya TK (2008). Assessment of Methane and NId oxide flux in The mangroves of East Coast of India. GeoFluids. 8 (4):321-332.  
    26. Ranjan RK., Ramanathan AL. and Singh G. (2008). Heavy Metal enrichments due to tsunami in Pichavaram Mangroves sediments, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment  147:389-411.
    27. Kumar M., Kumari K., Singh UK. and Ramanathan AL. (2008) Hydrogeochemical processes in the groundwater environment of Muktsar, Punjab: Conventional graphical and multivariate statistical approach Environmental Geology, 53(3) 553-574. 
    28.  Singh UK., Kumar M., Jha PK., Chauhan R. and Ramanathan AL., Subramanian V. (2008) “Assessment of the impact of landfill on groundwater quality: A case study of the Pirana site in western India” in Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 141:309-321.
    29.  Chidambaram S., Senthil Kumar G., Prasanna MV., John Peter A., Ramanathan AL. and Srinivasamoorthy K. (2009). A study on the hydrology and Hydrogeochemistry of groundwater from different depths in a coastal aquifer: Annamalai Nagar, Tamilnadu, India. Environmental Geology Vol. 57: pp 59–73 
    30.  Singh, Anshumali, Ramanathan AL, Singh Gurmeet, Ranjan Rajesh Kumar and Tripathi Parijat (2009)  Chemodynamics of trace metal fractions in surface sediments of the Pandoh Lake, Lesser Himalaya, India. Environmental Geology (2009) Vol  57 pp:1865–1879.
    31. Bose S., Jain A., Rai V., Ramanathan, AL. (2008).  "Chemical fractionation and translocation of heavy metals in Canna indica L. grown on industrial waste amended soil". Journal Hazardous Materials. 160(1):187-93. 
    32.  Bose S., Vedamati, J , Rai V.,  and Ramanathan AL. 2008. Metal uptake and transport by Typha angustata L. grown on metal contaminated waste amended soil: An implication of phytoremediation. Geoderma,145:1-2,136-142.
    33. Sutapa Bose, , Sudarshana Chandrayan  Vivek Rai , A.K. Bhattacharyya and AL. Ramanathan (2009) Translocation of metals in pea plants grown on various amendment of electroplating industrial sludge Bioresource Technology 99(10) : 4467-4475.
    34. Chauhan R. and Ramanathan AL. (2008) Evaluation of water quality of Bhitarkanika Mangrove system, Orissa, East coast of India. Indian Journal of marine sciences  37(2):159-165.
    35. Ramanthan AL., Singh G., Majumdar J., Chauhan R., Ranjan RK., Rajkumar K., and Santra S.C. (2008) A study of microbial diversity and its interaction with nutrients in the sediments of Sundarban mangroves. Indian Journal of marine sciences, 37(2):159-165.
    36. Chidambaram S., Ramanathan AL., Anandhan P., Srinivasamoorthy K., Prasanna M.V and Vasudevan S., (2008) A statistical approach to identify the hydrogeochemically active regimes in groundwaters of Erode district, Tamilnadu. Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution. 5(3):123-135.
    37.  Ranjan RK., Ramanathan AL. and Singh G. (2008) Evaluation of geochemical impact of tsunami on Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem, southeast coast of India. Environmental Geology. (55): 687-697.
    38. Srivastava, S. K and Ramanathan AL. 2008.Geochemical assessment of groundwater quality in vicinity of Bhalswa landfill, Delhi, India, using graphical and multivariate statistical methods ,Environmental Geology. (53):1509-1528. 
    39.  Chidambaram S., Ramanathan AL., Prasann M.V., Anandhan P., Srinivasamoorthy K., (2008) Study on the impact of tsunami on shallow groundwater from Portnova to Pumpuhar, using geoelectrical technique - south east coast of India, Indian Journal of marine sciences ,  37(2) 121-131
    40.  Prasad MBK. and Ramanathan, AL. 2008. Dissolved organic nutrients in the Pichavaram mangrove waters of east coast of India, Indian Journal of marine sciences 37 (2):146-152pp.
    41. Senthil Kumar S., Ramanathan AL., Nainiwal and Chidhambarm S. (2008). Evaluation of hydro geochemistry of ground waters using statistical approach in the Cuddalore region, TN, India .Indian journal of Marine Sciences, 37(2):186-192
    42. Anshumali and Ramanathan AL. (2007)  Seasonal variation in the major ion chemistry of Pandoh Lake, Mandi District, Himachal Pradesh, India, Applied Geochemistry. 22(8): 1736-1747pp.
    43. Anshumali and Ramanathan AL. (2007) Phosphorus fractionation in surficial sediments of Pandoh Lake, Lesser Himalaya, Himachal Pradesh, India, Applied Geochemistry 22(9): 1860-1871pp
    44. Kumar M., Kumari K., Ramanathan AL. and Saxena R. (2007). A comparative evaluation of groundwater suitability for irrigation and drinking purposes in two agriculture dominated districts of Punjab, India Environmental Geology, 53(3): 553-574pp.
    45.  Ramanathan AL. Prasad MBK., Chidambaram, S. 2007. Ground water Arsenic contamination and its health effects-Case studies from India and SE Asia. Indian Journal of Geochemistry.22 (2) 371-384.
    46. Wagnon P, Linda A, Arnaud Y,  Kumar, R, Sharma P,  Vincent P, Jose PG l, Berthier, E, Ramanathan AL, Hasnain S I, Chevallier, P. 2007. Four years of mass balance on Chhota Shigri Glacier, Himachal Pradesh, India, a new benchmark glacier in the western Himalaya. Journal of Glaciology, Vol. 53, No. 183 pg.603-611
    47. Prasad, MBK., Ramanathan, AL., Alongi DM. and Kannan L. (2006). Seasonal variation and decadal trends in concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients in the Pichavaram mangrove waters, Southeast India. Bulletin of   Marine Sciences 79 (2):287-300pp.
    48.  Prasad MBK., Ramanathan AL., Srivastava SK., Anshumali and Saxena R. (2006).Metal fractionation studies in surfacial and core sediments in the Achankovil River basin, India.Environmental Monitoring and Assessment (121): 77-102pp. 
    49. Keshari AK., Ramanathan AL. and Neupane. Impact of the 26-12-2004 Tsunami on the Indian coastal groundwater and emergency remediation strategy IHP VI, Series on Groundwater. No. 12, UNESCO, 2006, IHP/2006/GW-12, PP 80-85 “Groundwater for Emergency Situations- A framework document”, Edited by Jaroslav Vrba and Balthazar Th. Verhagen.
    50. Prasad MBK. and Ramanathan AL. (2006). Hydrological and nutrient budget modeling of surface water of the Achankovil River, Western Ghats, India. Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution 3(2): 63-69pp.
    51.  Kumar M., Ramanathan AL., Rao MS.  and Kumar B.  (2006). Identification and evalution of hydrogeochemical processes in the groundwater environment of Delhi, India” Environmental geology (50):1025-1039pp.
    52. Mukherjee AB., Bhattacharya P., Jacks G., Banerjee DM., Ramanathan AL., Mahanta C. Chandrashekharam D., Chatterjee D. & Naidu R. (2006). Groundwater Arsenic Contamination in India: Extent and severity. In: Naidu, R., Smith, E., Owens, G., Bhattacharya, P. & Nadebaum. P, (Eds.) Managing Arsenic in the Environment: From soil to human health. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, Australia, 533-594 pp. (ISBN: 0643068686)
    53. Alongi DM., Ramanathan AL., Kannan L., Tirendi F., Trott LA. and Prasad MBK. (2005). Influence of human induced disturbances on benthic microbial metabolism in the Pichavaram mangroves, Vellar-Coleroon estuarine complex, India. Marine Biology (147):1033-1044pp.
    54. Prasad MBK. and Ramanathan AL. (2005). Seasonal Variations in Nutrient Status of the Pichavaram Mangrove Forest Waters, Southeast India. International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences 31(3):279-284pp.
    55. Singh G., Ramanathan AL., and Prasad MBK. (2005). Nutrient Cycling in the mangrove environment - A brief review. International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences 31(3):231-244pp.
    56. Prasad MBK. and Ramanathan AL. (2005). Solute sources and process in the Achankovil River basin, Western Ghats, South India. Hydrological Sciences Journal 50(2): 341-354pp.
    57. Chidambaram S., Ramanathan AL. and Vasudevan S. (2003).  Fluoride removal studies in water using natural materials, Water SA 29(3): 339 – 343pp.
    58. Ramesh R., Ramanathan AL., Ramesh S., Purvaja R. and Subramanian V. (2000). Distribution of rare earth elements and heavy metals in the surficial sediments of the Himalayan river system. Geochemical Journal. (34): 205-319pp.
    59. Ramesh R., Ramanathan AL., James A., Subramanian V. (1999). Rare Earth elements and Heavy Metal Distribution in the Estuarine sediments of the East coast of India. Hydrobiologia(29): 419-430pp.
    60. Ramanathan AL. and Subramanian V. (2001). Present status of Asbestos mining and related health problems in India. Industrial Health (39): 309-315pp.
    61. Ramanathan AL., Subramanian V., Ramesh R. and Chidambaram S. (1999). Environmental geochemistry of Pichavaram Mangrove ecosystem (tropical), South East Coast of India.Environmental Geology 37(3):223-233pp.
    62. Ramanathan AL., Keshavan P. and Chidambaram S. (1998). Hydro geochemical studies of groundwater in Cuddalore- Puduchathiram Coastal region, India. Indian Journal of Marine Sciences (27): 167-172pp.
    63. Ramanathan AL. and Subramanian V. (1998). Texture and Mineralogy of suspended sediments in Cauvery River. Journal of Geological Society of India (52):111-114pp.
    64. Ramanathan AL., Subramanian V. and Das BK. (1995). Sediment and Heavy metal accumulation in the Cauvery Basin. Environmental Geology 27(3):155-163pp.
    65. Ramanathan AL., Vaithiyanathan P., Subramanian V. and Das BK. (1993). Nature and Transport of Solute load in the Cauvery River Basin, India. Water Research (28):1585-91.
    66. Ramanathan AL., Vaithiyanathan P., Subramanian V. and Das BK. (1993). Geochemistry of the Cauvery Estuary, East Coast of India. Estuaries (16): 459-474pp.
    67.  Vaithiyanathan P., Ramanathan AL. and Subramanian V. (1993). Transport and Distribution of heavy metals in Cauvery river. Water, Air and Soil Pollution (71): 13-28pp.    
    68. Ramanathan AL. and Chidambaram S. (1998). Study on hydro geochemistry of Pondicherry coastal groundwater, Indian Association of Sedimentologist, 1997. Proc. Nat. Symp. Recent Researchers in Sedimentary Basins 262-272pp.
    69.  Ramanathan AL. Vaithiyanathan P., Subramanian V. and Das BK. (1993): Nature and Transport of Solute load in the Cauvery River Basin, India. Water Research (28): 1585-1593pp.
    70.  Subramanian V. Ramanathan AL., and Vaithiyanathan P. (1989): Distribution and Fractionation of heavy metals in the Cauvery estuary, India. Marine Pollution Bulletin (20): 286-290pp.
    71.  Vaithiyanathan P. and Ramanathan AL. and Subramanian V. (1992): Sediment transport in the Cauvery River basin: sediment characteristics and controlling factors. Journal of Hydrology(139):197-210pp.
    72. Vaithyanathan P. Ramanathan AL. and Subramanian V. (1991): Particulate Heavy metal Distribution in the Peninsular River Basins of India. The Science of the Total Environment (98): 231-248pp.
    73. Vaithiyanathan P., Ramanathan AL. and Subramanian V. (1993): Transport and Distribution of heavy metals in Cauvery River. Water, Air and Soil Pollution (71): 13-28pp.
    74. Vaithiyanathan P., Subramanian V. and Ramanathan AL. (1989): Transport and distribution of phosphorus by Indian rivers. Memoirs Geological Society of India (13):127-137pp.
    75. Ramanathan AL., Subramanian V. and Vaithiyanathan P. (1988): Chemical and sediment characteristics of the Upper Reaches of the Cauvery estuary, East Coast of India. Indian Journal of Marine Sciences (17): 114-120pp.
    76. Vaithiyanathan P., Ramanathan AL. and Subramanian V. (1988): Erosion, Transport and Deposition of sediments by the tropical rivers of India. Sediment Budgets (174): 561-574pp.